Foley
An Irish surname whose origin is uncertain, though later writers often connect it with a Gaelic byname meaning a wolf-like or predatory person.
The #661 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,953 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Foley is usually treated as Irish, but its exact derivation is not settled. Some older English surname books tried to connect it with a place or family in England, while others proposed a French source such as a form related to French "folie" or an old personal name. In Irish contexts, it is often linked to a Gaelic surname that is popularly explained as meaning something like a wolfish or plundering person, but the historical evidence is not decisive in the excerpts provided.
History
By the 19th century, surname writers were already describing Foley as chiefly Irish, especially in the United States and in Irish-American directories. At the same time, they noted an older English family of the name in Worcestershire and nearby counties, leaving open the possibility of a separate local English origin in some cases. The name is now strongly associated with Ireland, though different branches may have different histories.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century directory evidence cited by surname writers shows Foley clustering heavily among Irish immigrants in places like New York.
From the historical record
“cattle. FOLEY. Collins says that the family have been of ancient standing in co. Wor- cester, and some adjoining counties. Local: place unknown. FOLGER. See Foulger. FOLJx\.MBE, Jamhe is Fr. for leg, and folfolle is often employed in 0. Fr. for something useless or of little value, as ' farine folle,' mill-dust…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom