Talk:Riley (surname)

Further Rileys

It's highly probable that there are several Rileys not shown on this list. I've just added 1 such (the delectable Rachel Riley). You too can help to find and add others. This link contains over 500 articles whose title contains Riley. So, if you have time, do use it to find &/or add others to this page. Thanks, Trafford09 (talk) 10:22, 25 June 2013 (UTC)

Riley vs. O'Reilly

I see a revert war going on here between editors who want this article to be a section of O'Reilly and other editors who want this to be a standalone article. The current article provides references indicating that Riley is an English surname with an origin that is distinct from the Irish O'Reilly. Thus, it seems this article should remain as a standalone article rather than being subsumed into the O'Reilly article. Redirecting this article to O'Reilly without supporting evidence appears on its face to be a violation of WP:Verifiability, which states "The burden to demonstrate verifiability lies with the editor who adds or restores material, and is satisfied by providing a citation to a reliable source that directly supports the contribution." Adding this article as a section to O'Reilly is the addition of material and thus would require supporting citations that Riley is always a variation of O'Reilly rather than an English surname of independent origin deserving of its own article. GeoGreg (talk) 17:18, 7 July 2017 (UTC)

Merge into O'Reilly

I sincerely believe this article should be merged back into O'Reilly, because ALL sources mention it as a variation. The only real reason it's common in Lancaster county (Walsh, Kelly and O'Brien are also very common there) is because of large-scale Irish immigration into the two big cities; Liverpool and Manchester in the 1800s. Because it would be a contribution to O'Reilly article and it is ALWAYS mentioned in relation to the O'Reilly surname, it should be merged back.--Theo Mandela (talk) 01:53, 17 July 2017 (UTC)

Here are three quotations about the name Riley from the following source (page 2255).

• Hanks, P; Coates, R; McClure, P, eds. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Vol. Vol. 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-879884-2. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  1. 1 English: locative name chiefly from High Ryley, in Accrington (Lancs) and Riley in Kirkburton, which was in the manor of Wakefield (WR Yorks). Some families may alternatively derive their names from Riley (Derbys), Royley (Lancs), or Rylah (Derbys).
  2. Early bearers: John de Ryelay, 1284 in Wakefield Court Rolls (WR Yorks); Henry de Ryley, 1327 in Subsidy Rolls (Derbys); Robertus de Ryelay, 1377 in Poll Tax (Kirkburton, WR Yorks); Rogero de Ryle, 1379 in Poll Tax (Blackburn, Lancs); Johanne de Rylay, 1379 in Poll Tax (Rossendale Chase, Lancs); Edus de Rylay, 1379 in Poll Tax (Bolton by Bowland, WR Yorks); Robertus de Ryelay, 1379 in Poll Tax (Cumberworth, WR Yorks); Johannes de Rylay, 1379 in Poll Tax (Thornton in Craven, WR Yorks); John Ryley, 1488 in Coroners’ Rolls (Notts); Mary Ryley, 1522 in IGI (Altham, Lancs); William Rylay, 1538 in Wakefield Court Rolls (WR Yorks); Margery Riley, 1542 in IGI (Kirkham, Lancs); Georgi Ryley, 1543 in IGI (Halifax, WR Yorks); William Ryley, 1551 in IGI (Bradley, Staffs); Samuel Riley, 1558 in IGI (Dudley, Staffs); Issabell Ryley, 1599, Elizabeth Riley, 1647, William Rily, 1714 in IGI (Burnley, Lancs); Thomas Ryley, 1560 in IGI (Halesowen, Worcs); John Ryley, 1585 in IGI (Selston, Notts); Thomas Riley, 1605 in IGI (Breadsall, Derbys); Mihell Riley, 1639 in IGI (Middleham, NR Yorks); Ann Rily, 1675, Gab. Riley, 1679 in IGI (Monk Frystone, WR Yorks).
  3. 2 Irish: in Ireland, when this is not the English name, it is Irish Ó Raghailligh, see O’Reilly.

--Brianann MacAmhlaidh (talk) 02:41, 17 July 2017 (UTC)