O'Boyle is a surname of Irish origin. It is anglicised from the Gaelic
Ó Baoighill/Ó Baoill.
The clan was founded by a
Donegal chieftain, Aneisleis Ó Baoighill, the grandson of Baoghal. The derivation of the Gaelic/Irish is uncertain, and has been translated as "Peril" or "Danger", "Son of the rash one" or more positively "having profitable pledges" (from the Irish word geall, meaning "pledge"). Their chiefs came to rule over Tír Ainmhireach in the west of what is now
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
, which as a result became known as Críoch Bhaoigheallach; later renamed as the barony of Boylagh under colonial rule.
Notable people with the surname include:
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Conor O'Boyle, Irish Defence Forces Chief of Staff
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Ciarán O'Boyle
Ciarán O'Boyle (born 22 February 1984) is an Irish former rugby union player.
Career
O'Boyle joined the Munster academy ahead of the 2005–06 season, and progressed to a development contract with the province ahead of the 2006–07 season. I ...
, Irish rugby player
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Dan O'Boyle (b. unknown, d. 1933), Irish republican; murdered 1933
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Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle
Dame Fionnuala Mary Jay-O'Boyle, (born 22 March 1960) is a British lobbyist, charity trustee, and public official. She is the Lord-Lieutenant for the County Borough of Belfast since 2014, and a member of the House of Lords Appointments Commiss ...
(born 1960), British lobbyist, charity trustee, and public official
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George O'Boyle
George O'Boyle (born 14 December 1967) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer and now manager.
Playing career Club football
O'Boyle, a striker, began his career in 1984 as a youth-team player with Manchester City. He was part of th ...
(b. 1967), Northern Irish professional football player
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Harry O'Boyle (1904–1994), American football player
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Ian O'Boyle
Ian O'Boyle (born 6 March 1984) is an Irish former basketball player. He played nine seasons in the Irish Super League as well as four seasons in the South Australian Premier League, where he won a championship. He has represented the Irish nati ...
, Irish basketball player
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John O'Boyle (born 1928), American professional basketball player
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Maeve O'Boyle
Maeve O'Boyle (born 6 October 1987, Glasgow) is a Scottish singer-songwriter who is known for her voice and her songs and stories.
O'Boyle's Career began at the age of 16 as a top-line lyricist and melody writer for various pop acts. By the ag ...
(b. 1987), Scottish singer and songwriter
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Maureen O'Boyle
Maureen Jeralyn O'Boyle (born July 14, 1963) is an American television reporter and news anchor. She was the lead anchor for WBTV News 3 in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina and used to anchor the weekly "Stretching Your Dollar" report. ...
(b. 1963), American television show host and news anchor
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Michael O'Boyle
Michael O'Boyle is a professor of Computing and Director of the Institute for Computing Systems Architecture at the University of Edinburgh School of Informatics.
Education
O'Boyle received a Master of Science degree in computer science from ...
, British computer scientist
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Neal O'Boyle, president of the Irish Republican Brotherhood from 1907 to 1910
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Patrick O'Boyle (1896–1987), American Roman Catholic archbishop and cardinal
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Sean O'Boyle (b. 1963), Australian composer
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Shaun O'Boyle
Shaun O'Boyle is a science communicator, podcast producer and activist, best known for his work to promote science and to improve representation of LGBTQ+ scientists. He was the chair and one of the organisers of the Irish March for Science and a ...
, Irish science communicator, podcast producer and activist
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Tommy O'Boyle
Thomas Joseph O'Boyle (August 21, 1917 – July 19, 2000) was an American football player, coach, scout, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Southwest Missouri State College—now known as Missouri State ...
(1917–2000), American college football coach
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oboyle
Surnames
Surnames of Irish origin
Anglicised Irish-language surnames
English-language surnames