Surname Goley - Meaning and Origin
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Goley: What does the surname Goley mean?
The surname Goley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have come from a family that once lived in a region referred to as the "gully" or "valley". This would make it a topographic surname, originating from a notable physical feature (such as a hill, stream, church, or tree) in the place where the original bearer once resided or held land. The Anglo-Saxon root of Goley is "gul-ge" which literally means "pit-hole" but is typically understood as "valley". Therefore, the surname Goley refers to someone who lives in or near a valley. It is important to note that over the centuries, surnames can undergo changes in spelling and interpretation, therefore the current meaning might slightly differ from the original one.
Order DNA origin analysisGoley: Where does the name Goley come from?
The surname Goley is primarily of Irish origin. It could be derived from the old Gaelic "O'Gothaile", where 'O' denotes 'descendant of' and 'Gothaile' is a personal name, creating the meaning of 'descendant of Gothaile'.
Another possible source relates to it being a variant of the last name "Gally" prevalent in English and Scottish cultures. The surname Gally is associated with the old Norman French word 'gale', which means 'jovial' or 'cheerful'. After the Norman Invasion, these names started appearing as 'Galley', 'Golly' and 'Golley' in England.
However, various histories have slightly different derivations for the surname and due to migrations and changes in spellings over the centuries, it can be difficult to establish a specific origin point definitively.
Today, the surname Goley has presence across the globe, most likely due to ancestors migrating for various reasons over the centuries. It can mostly be found in the United States, but is also present in Canada, England and Australia. Even in the countries where it is relatively common, it remains a reasonably rare surname.
Variations of the surname Goley
The surname Goley seems to have diverse global origins. In some contexts, it is a variant of the English surname Golley, which is a habitational name from Golley in Cornwall. Variations of this spelling may include Golley, Gollie, Gollee, and Gollay. It's also possible that Goley may have evolved from similar sounding British surnames such as Cooley, Colley, or Gailey.
On the other hand, Goley might be of Turkish origin, stemming from the word "göley," meaning "muddy place." In this case, there may be surname variants such as Gole, Goly, Golay, or Gol. This should be taken into consideration especially when the name is found in Middle Eastern contexts.
Additionally, there are possibilities that Goley is an Americanized version of a different foreign surname. For example, it may derive from the Irish surname O'Gaoithín, colloquially anglicised as Goghan and as a result may share roots with Geoghegan or Gogan.
As with all surname origins, however, specific family lineage and geographical location may affect the variations and origins of the surname Goley.
Famous people with the name Goley
- Cole Goley: Veteran US Marine Corps Officer and former City Commissioner of Boynton Beach, Florida.
- Tom Goley: Former Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates.
- A.J. Goley: Award-winning Athlete, and multi-media producer known for his success in Sports broadcasting and TV writing.
- Mike Goley: American entrepreneur and business executive, president of the consulting firm Goley & Associates.
- Christy Goley: Broadcast Meteorologist for the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Laura Goley: COO and Executive Director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
- Leigh Goley: Award-winning Actress, writer, director, and producer.
- Justin Goley: Former NFL player who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005.
- Jarrad Goley: Musician, songwriter, and producer, leader of the band Goley & Martin.
- Galen Goley: American artist and sculptor, credited with creating the world’s tallest sculpture.