Buckley is a surname originating from either Ireland or England where it is particularly common, as well as Canada and the United States.
Some sources outline an Irish origin, whereas others outline an Anglo-Saxon (English) origin.
Spelling variations of Buckley include Bucklie, Buckly, Bulkley, Buhilly, Ó Buachalla, Boughla and others.
England
The Buckley family of England were first recorded to be in Cheshire, where the family held a seat from very ancient times.
This branch of the Buckley family is credited by some sources as being of Anglo-Saxon origin, either as a habitation surname derived from settlements named Buckley, or as an occupational surname from the Anglo-Saxon words Bucc and Leah, meaning goat and wood.
The surname Buckley is the 435th most common name in the United Kingdom, or 234th in England and Wales. It is particularly common in Surrey, but also Cheshire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire amongst other places.
A branch of the Buckley family lived in Buckley, Greater Manchester in Rochdale for many centuries. They gave their name to Buckley Hall a manorhouse found within the locality. Their name is said to derive from "bleak hill" and they can be traced back to a "Geoffrey de Buckley".
Ireland
Ó Buachalla, taken from the Irish word 'buachaill' originally meaning 'herdsman' (in modern Irish it has come to mean 'boy'), was anglcised early as Ó Boughelly, Boughla, Buhilly and later as Buckley. The name Buckley in Ireland is derived from the native Gaelic Ó Buachalla Sept that was located in Lemanaghan (Liath Mancháin), Co Offaly, where an important monastery was situated. The Ó Buachalla's claimed to be descendants of the cowherd of St. Manchán or Manahan and hereditary bearers of his shrine, the custodians of which were the O'Moonys of Doon, County Offaly. The last reference to the site as a monastery comes in 1205 when the death of the coarb (a type of administrator), Gillebrenyn O’ Bichollye (Buckley), is recorded. There was also a sept in northeast County Cork at the same time. Both were dispersed by the Cambro-Normans. Patrick Woulfe in his 'Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall' ('Irish Names and Surnames' 1923), says that in the 16th century Buckley was peculiar to Cork, Tipperary, Offaly and especially Kerry. The area surrounding Lemanaghan in Offaly is still home to many Buckleys today. The name still also exists as Buhilly and Boughla in Offaly today. This name was brought to Ulster in the seventeenth Century by settlers.
Buckley is the 99th most numerous name in Ireland.
AJ Buckley, American actorAlan Buckley, British football managerAlexander Henry Buckley, Australian Victoria Cross recipientAndrew Buckley, New Zealand field hockey playerBetty Buckley, American actressBrian Buckley (footballer, born 1935), Australian rules footballer who played for CarltonBrian Buckley (footballer, born 1936), Australian rules footballer who played for FootscrayCecil William Buckley, Victoria Cross recipientChristopher Buckley, American author, son of William F. Buckley, Jr.Christopher Augustine Buckley, "Blind Boss" Buckley, 19th century political boss in San Francisco, CaliforniaDelron Buckley, South African footballerDennis J. Buckley, Jr. (1920-1943), United States Navy sailor and Silver Star recipientDick Buckley, American baseball player (MLB)Eldra Buckley, American football running back, currently with the Philadelphia EaglesEmerson Buckley, (1916-1989), American conductorEsther Buckley (1948–2013), American educatorGinny Buckley, British television presenterJack Boyd Buckley, American civil engineerJimmy Buckley, British WW2 pilot and POWJames Buckley (disambiguation), several peopleJean Buckley, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playerJeff Buckley, American songwriter, son of Tim BuckleyJenny Buckley, Irish television presenterJohn Buckley (disambiguation), several peopleJordan Buckley, guitarist for Every Time I DieKeith Buckley, vocalist for Every Time I DieKevin Buckley, American baseball player (MLB)Leila Buckley (1917–2013), English poet, writer and translatorLord Buckley (Richard Myrle Buckley), American monologistMatthew Buckley, British actorMaurice Vincent Buckley, Australian Victoria Cross recipientMick Buckley (1953–2013), English footballerNathan Buckley, Australian rules footballerPatricia Buckley, American socialite, wife of William F. Buckley, Jr.Raymond Buckley, American politician from New HampshireSamuel Botsford Buckley, American botanist and naturalistSigebert Buckley, only monk of Westminster to survive the ReformationShane Buckley (born 1992), Irish rugby playerSteve Buckley, American sports journalistStephen Buckley former Australian rules footballerTerrell Buckley, American retired professional football cornerbackThomas "Tim" Buckley (1942 – 2015), American anthropologist and Buddhist monasticThomas H. Buckley (1897 – 1960), American politician who served as Massachusetts Auditor.Thomas J. Buckley (1895 – 1964), American politician who served as Massachusetts Auditor.Tim Buckley, American songwriterTroy Buckley, American college baseball coachVincent Thomas Buckley, (1925–1988), an Australian poet, teacher, editor, essayist and criticWalter F. Buckley, American sociologistWilliam Buckley, Australian convictWilliam Francis Buckley, CIA employee captured by HezbollahWilliam F. Buckley, Jr., American author and one of the fathers of modern conservatismDin Joe Buckley member of the Cork Hurling 4 in row team 1941-1944