Conley Explained

Conley
Region:	Ireland
Language:	Irish
Variant:	Connelly, Connolly, Connley

Conley from O′Conghaile or ^[1] Ó Conghalaigh (“hound valiant”) is a surname of Irish or Manx origin. The anglicized forms Conneely, Connealy, and Cunneely emerged due to the loss of the "gh" sound, which lengthened the second syllable of Conghal. In Connacht, these forms are often shortened from McNeilly, derived from Mac Conghaile. Another possible origin is the West Cork name Mac Coingheallaigh or Ó Coingheallaigh, meaning "faithful to pledges." Historically, O'Connolly was a principal name of County Monaghan.^[1]

Conley is also used as a male given name, anglicized from Old Irish Conláed, meaning "constant fire," which combines cunnail ("prudent, constant") and áed ("fire"). Alternatively, it could be a compound name from Old Irish cond ("intellect," "mind," or "king") or cenn ("head, chief") and ley, an Anglo-Norman term for "field, meadow, or forest clearing." Conley is a variant spelling of Connelly, Connley, and Connolly.

People with the surname

Arts and letters

Darby Conley (born 1970), American cartoonist
Garrard Conley (born 1984 or 1985), American author
Philip Mallory Conley (1887–1979), American historian
Robert Conley (reporter) (1928–2013), American reporter
Robert J. Conley (1940–2014), Cherokee author
Tom Conley (philologist) (born 1943), American philologist
Willy Conley (born 1958), American photographer
Max Conley (born 1980), Ciudadano Chileno

Business

Chip Conley (born 1960), American hotelier
Kerry Conley (1866–1924), American businessman and politician
Lyda Conley (1874–1946), American lawyer
Rosemary Conley (born 1946), English businesswoman, author and broadcaster
William Henry Conley (1840–1897), American industrialist and philanthropist

Entertainment

Arthur Conley (1946–2003), American soul singer
Bayless Conley, American pastor and television personality
Brian Conley (born 1961), English comedian
- The Brian Conley Show (1992–2002)
Chris Conley (born 1980), American musician
Clint Conley, American rock and roll musician
Corinne Conley (born 1929), American actress
Darlene Conley (1934–2007), Irish-American actress
David Conley (musician) (born 1953), American bassist
Earl Thomas Conley (1941–2019), American country music singer and composer
Eugene Conley (1908–1981), American tenor
Jack Conley (actor), American actor
Joe Conley (1928–2013), American actor
Lige Conley (1897–1937), American actor
Onest Conley (1906–1989), American film actor
Renie Conley (1901–1992), American costume designer
Robert Conley (music producer) (born 1973), American record producer, programmer and engineer
Shannon Conley, American voice actor, and vocalist

Education

Emma Conley (1869–1928), American home economist, textbook author
J. Michael "Mike" Conley, American teacher (born 1936), see J. Michael Conley Elementary School^[2]
Jean Conley, American teacher (died 1982), see Conley-Caraballo High School

Military

Edgar Thomas Conley – Civil War – Pvt. 2nd Md. Inf. C.S.A. KIA 1863
Edgar Thomas Conley (1874–1956), United States Army, Major General and Adjutant General of the U.S. Army
Edgar Thomas Conley Jr. (1907–1993), United States Army, Brig. General

Politics and law

Thomas Young Conley (1809–1887), Maryland House of Delegates 1868–1870
Andrew Conley (1880/81–1952), British trade unionist
Benjamin F. Conley (1815–1886), American politician (Republican)
Daniel F. Conley, District Attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Dean Conley (1946–2010), American politician (Democrat)
Gerard Conley Sr. (1930–2018), American politician (Democrat)
Gerard Conley Jr., American lawyer and politician (Democrat)
John Conley (Wisconsin politician) (1828-?), American politician (Republican)
Robert M. "Bob" Conley (born 1965), American pilot and politician (Democrat)
William G. Conley (1866–1940), Governor of West Virginia (Republican)
William M. Conley (born 1956), American judge

Religion

James D. Conley (born 1955), American bishop

Science

Catharine Conley, NASA's Planetary Protection Officer
Charles C. Conley (1933–1984), American mathematician
- Conley index theory, named after Charles Conley
- Conley–Zehnder theorem, named after Charles Conley and Eduard Zehnder
Dalton Conley (born 1969), American sociologist
Frances K. Conley, American Neurologist

Sports

Adam Conley (born 1990), American baseball player
Bob Conley (baseball) (1934–2022), American baseball player
Cale Conley (born 1992), American racing driver
Chris Conley (American football) (born 1992), American football wide receiver
Frankie Conley (1890–1952), American boxer
Gene Conley (1930–2017), American baseball and basketball player
Gareon Conley (born 1995), American football cornerback
Jack Conley (Australian rules footballer) (1920–2008), Australian rules footballer
Jack Conley (English footballer) (1920–1991), English footballer
Jason Conley (born 1981), American basketball player
Jim Conley (born c. 1943), American football player
Kim Conley (born 1986), American track and field athlete
Larry Conley (born 1944), American basketball player
Leonard Conley (born 1968), American football wide receiver and linebacker
Mike Conley Sr. (born 1962), American triple jumper
Mike Conley Jr. (born 1987), American basketball player
Scott Conley (American football) (born 1947), American football coach
Scott Conley (rugby league) (born 1973), Australian rugby league footballer
Snipe Conley (1894–1978), American baseball pitcher
Steve Conley (linebacker) (born 1972), American football player
Steve Conley (running back) (born 1949), American football player
T. J. Conley (born 1985), American football punter
Tim Conley (born 1958), American golfer

Miscellaneous

Jim Conley (born c. 1884), see Leo Frank

Notes and References

Book: Michael C. O'Laughlin . The Book of Irish Families, Great & Small . 3rd . 2002 . Irish Genealogical Foundation . Kansas City, MO . 0-940134-09-8 . 61 .
Web site: J. Michael Conley Elementary: About Us . 2020-03-29.