The Riley Ancestry

The Riley family on this site spans five generations over 200 years and dates back to the late 18th century and the birth of Joseph Riley around 1798. Many of his descendants were born in the heart of London, particularly in the areas north of the river in Islington and Hackney.

Origins of the Riley Surname

There are two possible origins of the surname Riley that are thought to have originated separately in England and in Ireland.

In England, the name probably derives from the Olde English rygh – leah meaning “rye farm”. It is believed to be habitational with bearers of the name “being of Riley”. There are many suggestions as to the location of Riley, including an area near Accrington in Lancashire. According to posts on the Accrington Web forum, the surname was adopted by Robert, a steward appointed by de Lacey.

… the man who took the name de Riley, was appointed by de Lacy to oversee his holdings, that area was already called Riley, before the monks came, he called himself Robert de Riley …
Retlaw (2009)

Other suggested locations include the hamlet of Riley Green in Lancashire; Rileyhill in Staffordshire; Riley near Kirkburton, Yorkshire; and Riley Farm (Top Riley), near Eyam, Derbyshire.

In Ireland the name Reilly is believed to derive from the Irish O Raghallaigh, meaning a descendent, possibly grandson, of ‘Raghallach’ which means a ‘sociable race’ or the ‘valiant one’ (“ragh” meaning “race” and “ceallach” meaning “sociable”). Its origins lay in the old kingdom of Breffny, now County Cavan and neighbouring counties, where the O’Reillys were the dominant family for many years. Riley is thought to be an anglicisation of Raghallach.

Over the years, the Gaelic prefix ‘O’ has come and gone. Variations of the spelling of the name include Railey, Railley, Reely, Reily, Reilly, Riley, Rilley, Rilie and Ryley, and the galic versions O’Ralilly, O’Reilly and McReilly.

Leonard Francis Riley

1911-1993

John Frederick Riley

1914-2005

Distribution of Families in 1891

The Lancastrian origins of the Riley surname are clearly evident in the census of 1891. Some 8,874 families were recorded as living in the county, which is the largest number of any.

Outside of London, the Riley families of 1891 were mainly living in the midlands and the northwest of the country.

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