McNulty

McNulty (MacNulty) is an Irish surname historically associated with County Donegal in northwest Ireland and, possibly, with the moniker Ultach, an agnomen (additional surname) used by some of Gaelic Ireland's MacDunleavy or MacDonlevy (dynasty) royals in its earlier Gaelic language form. The surname denotes that its bearer is of the ancient Irish Ulaid race (singl. Ultaigh). In alternate spelling, Ulaid may be encountered as Ulaidh or Uladh. It is pronounced in Gaelic language "Ully" and has been corrupted in English to "ulty".

The surname is derived from an anglicized contraction of the original Irish patronymic Mac (descended)an Ultaigh or confusion of the Irish "Mac an Ultaigh" (male) and "Nic an Ultaigh" (female) surname. Variant spellings include McNaulty, its variations McNalty and, rarely, O'Nalty, Nolty, McNult, the more primitive Anglicizations McAnulty, McEnulty and McKnulty and others.

In County Clare and its adjacent County Tipperary in the southwest of the Republic of Ireland, the toponymics Connoulty and Kinoulty are encountered. Clonoulty (Irish language "Cluain Ultaigh", meaning "the meadow of the Ulsterman" or Ultaigh) is a civil parish in south County Tipperary. Some sources consider the surnames Connoulty and Kinoulty to be variant Anglicizations of the Irish language Mac and Nic an Ultaigh surname.