Surname Dilley - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
Dilley: What does the surname Dilley mean?
The last name Dilley is an English surname, derived from the Old English term "Dylla leah," which means "Dylla's wood or clearing." It is considered a locational surname related to the village of Dilley in Oxfordshire, England. Over time, names of villages were often adopted by the local residents as their surnames, usually when they migrated to another region, as a means to identify their place of origin. Thus, someone bearing the surname Dilley could potentially be a descendent of an individual from this village. Since surnames can evolve over centuries due to regional dialects and literacy levels, Dilley may also have variations including Dilly, Dilli, and Dily, among others. Today, the surname Dilley can be found in many different countries as people have emigrated and family lines have spread. As is common with surnames, it doesn't have a specific "meaning" related to characteristics or profession, unlike some other types of surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisDilley: Where does the name Dilley come from?
The surname Dilley is of Anglo-Saxon origin, most likely derived from an Old English personal name 'Dylli' or 'Dylla'. Some theories suggest it may also be a locational name, originating from a place named Dilley in England. Though the place itself has not been accurately identified today, the surname hints at possible broken down meanings such as 'Dil' meaning 'delight' and 'Ley' meaning 'wood or clearing'.
The surname itself is not incredibly common, but it is most prevalent in the United States of America today. Aside from the USA, it is found in a few numbers across other English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. It started to spread in the 17th century when families started to migrate to the New World and the East Indies. The first person with this surname migrated from Sussex, England to Massachusetts, USA around the mid-1600s. Some variations of the name include Dilly, Dilleye, Dillee among others. The Dilley name has gained notoriety most famously in the USA with its association with the Dilley sextuplets, a family who gained media attention due to their six children.
Variations of the surname Dilley
The surname Dilley may have several variants and spellings due to its different origins. Some of the variations of this surname can be Dill, Dille, Dillie, Dilly, Dealey, Deely, Dally, Dolly, Dailey, Daily, Dial, Dyal, and Dyall. In some cases, it might also be spelled as Dyley or Diley.
The surname 'Dilley' is believed to be of English origin, deriving from several possible sources. It could have originated from a nickname for a diligent person, from the Middle English word 'diligent', meaning 'constant' or 'earnest'. It might also be derived from a location, like the Old English term 'dill', which means 'dill', a common herb, and 'leah', meaning 'wood' or 'clearing'; symbolizing someone who lived near a field of dill. The name may also stem from the Old English personal name 'Dylli'.
Moreover, similar surnames like Dill, Dealey, and Daily, can also have Irish, Scottish, or German origin. For instance, 'Daly' or 'Dailey' are Anglicized forms of the Gaelic Ó Dálaigh (descendant of Dálach). Similarly, Dill is a common name in Germany. All these surnames bear resemblance to Dilley, either phonetically or otherwise.
Famous people with the name Dilley
- Vidar Diley: He is a well-known Norwegian football manager associated with the Levanger FK.
- Monette and Michelle Dilley: These twins gained fame as the first octuplets to survive infancy in the United States. They were featured in the 1998 documentary "Eight at Once".
- Kieran Dilley: He is a popular actor, known for his roles "Desert Wolf" (2015) and "The Critic" (2016).
- Keith Dilley: He is the father of the Dilley sextuplets and gained brief fame in the 1990s due to the media attention surrounding the birth of his sextuplets.
- Eileen Alma Dilley: An official with the Civil Service Commission and known for her dedication to public service.
- McKenna Dilley: She is a known actress who appeared in the movie "Raising Sextuplets".
- Brendan Dilley: A self-help author and aspiring politician, who ran unsuccessfully for United States Congress.
- Diane Dilley: a notable American bridge player.
- Kate Dilley Freer: An opera singer and actress.
- John Barker Church Dilley Sr., a building contractor, sawmill owner, and politician in Newfoundland.