Surname O'Toole - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'O'
O'Toole: What does the surname O'Toole mean?
O'Toole is an Irish surname originally derived from the Gaelic Ó Tuathail or Ó Tothail meaning “descendant of Tuathal”. Tuathal was a 10th century King of the Uí Néill and High King of Ireland. The name was common in County Galway and other parts of the western province of Connacht.
The O'Toole family was believed to have belonged to the “Six Tribes” of Galway, a political body that was established in the 14th century. This group was made up of the fourteen families that had the hereditary privilege of holding office in the city of Galway. The six major families were known as the “Tribes of Galway” and the O'Tooles were one of them.
The O'Tooles were a powerful clan and many of them held intrinsic positions of power in wary villages in Galway. They could be found all around Galway and in neighboring counties like Clare and Mayo. They were also known for being the rulers of Yeats country in County Sligo.
It is believed that the O'Tooles were a branch of the O'Neill family, whose traditional ancestral home was Ulster in Northern Ireland. This means that the O'Tooles likely originated there, but over time they migrated southward into County Galway.
Today, the name O'Toole is very common throughout Ireland. It is still used as a given name and a surname and it is a reminder of the family's past power and influence.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Toole: Where does the name O'Toole come from?
The last name O'Toole is most commonly found in Ireland and other parts of the British Isles. The name is derived from the Irish phrase "O'Tuathail" which translates to "descendant of Tuathal". It is believed that Tuathal was an ancestor of an Ulster chieftain who lived during the 11th century, and so the name is linked to the Úi Neill dynasty which is one of Ireland's oldest lineage.
Most people with the surname O'Toole can be found abroad in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In particular, the name is quite common in England, with its highest concentration being in Lancashire and Greater London.
According to Ancestry DNA research, the highest concentration of O'Toole's is in the US and Canada, reflecting the large numbers of Irish who emigrated to North America during the 18th and 19th centuries to escape poverty and political unrest in their home country. The name is also found in other parts of the world, such as South Africa and New Zealand.
In summary, the name O'Toole has a long history and can be found today in many countries around the globe. Although it has its roots in Ireland, many people of Irish descent have chosen to settle elsewhere. As such, it is now a widespread name which is highly concentrated in the British Isles, Australasia, and the Americas.
Variations of the surname O'Toole
The surname O’Toole, pronounced “Tull” or “Tuhl”, is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the Irish Ó Tuathail which means “descendant of Tuathal”. It is found most commonly in Counties Leitrim and Mayo in Ireland. Variations of the O’Toole surname include O'Tuhill, O’Touhill, O’Tuhill, Tuohill, Tuohy, Tuohill, Tuohey, Tuoher, Twohill and Twohy. In some cases, the name may also have been used with prefixes such as Mac, which would give it a more specific meaning such as “son of Tuathal”. Other spellings of the surname, particularly popular among Irish-Americans, include Tool, Tohill, Tohl, Towhill, Towle, and Toole.
The O’Toole surname is often confused with O’Neill or O’Neal, but it is an entirely separate surname. It is also not to be confused with Tuite, another surname of Irish origin that is derived from the same root as Tuohy and Tuohill.
The O’Toole surname is found throughout the world, but is especially common in the United States, Australia, and Canada. It is also found in countries such as Britain, Ireland, France, and Germany. It is notably the name of an American actress, Tatum O’Neal, and an Australian rugby player, Jack O’Toole.
Famous people with the name O'Toole
- Peter O'Toole: an English film actor of Irish descent active in film from the early 1950s until the early 2010s. He is considered one of the greatest British actors of all time and is best known for playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) for which he won his first Oscar nomination.
- Liam O'Toole: an Irish writer, historian, and political activist who was closely involved with the Republican movement in Ireland and the Northern Irish Civil Rights Movement during the latter part of the 20th century.
- Pádraig O'Toole: an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Kerry county football team in the 1940s and 50s.
- Catherine O'Toole: an Irish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for South Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland between 1992 and 1997.
- Mary O'Toole: an American former politician who served as the Director of International and Intergovernmental Affairs at the National Science Foundation from 2003 to 2007.
- David O'Toole: an American politician from California who was a California State Senator from 1961 to 1967.
- John O'Toole: an Irish Gaelic footballer who played with the Limerick county team from the late 1980s to the early 2000s.
- Aisling O'Toole: an Irish television presenter and radio broadcaster who is best known for her work as a presenter for RTÉ's The Den and as a DJ on RTÉ 2FM.
- Brian O'Toole: an Irish singer-songwriter and playwright who has been performing his music in Ireland and the UK for the past 25 years.
- Jimmy O'Toole: an Australian rules footballer who played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League.