Ó Coigligh is an Irish Gaelic surname, the original form of the more widely known Anglicized Quigley. The name is derived from the Gaelic Ó Coigligh, meaning "descendant of Coigleach." The personal name Coigleach is thought to come from a word meaning "untidy" or "messy," though its early use probably had a descriptive, perhaps even humorous, connotation rather than a purely negative one.
Like many Irish surnames, Ó Coigligh originated in a specific sept—a clan or extended family group. The name is historically associated with County Donegal, and branches spread into nearby counties. Over centuries of English administration and cultural influence, many Gaelic names were transformed into phonetic English approximations. Quigley became the most common anglicized form, while variants such as Quickley also emerged. These Anglicizations often recorded the sound of the original Irish differently, leading to multiple family lines with different spellings but a shared ancestry.
In modern times, the form Ó Coigligh survives as a native Irish-language surname. According to records, the name is less common than its anglicised counterpart. While specific detailed data for Ó Coigligh distribution is limited, the Quigley form achieved greater prominence, spreading beyond Ireland through emigration, particularly to the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
- Meaning: Descendant of Coigleach ("untidy")
- Alternative forms: Quigley, Quickley
- Origin area: Counties Donegal and surrounding regions, Ireland
- Linguistic type: Patronymic surname (Gaelic)