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Irish surname

Quinlan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Caoinleáin (shortened from Ó Caoindealbháin) · 'descendant of Caoindealbhán' (gracefully shaped)

Woulfe (1923) gives Quinlan under Ó Caoinleáin, which he calls a shortened Munster form of Ó Caoindealbháin, 'descendant of Caoindealbhán' (gracefully shaped). That was the name of a Meath family, chiefs of Cinel Laoghaire near Trim until the Anglo-Norman invasion. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 54 Quinlan entries including spelling varieties (52 spelled Quinlan), principally found in Tipperary and Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the Quinlan surname
Irish formÓ Caoinleáin (shortened from Ó Caoindealbháin)
Meaning'descendant of Caoindealbhán' (gracefully shaped)
CountiesMeath, Tipperary, Kerry
Other spellings3

Origin of the Quinlan name

Woulfe: Ó Caoindealbháin was 'the name of a Meath family who were chiefs of Cinel Laoghaire, near Trim, until the Anglo-Norman invasion', descended from Caoindealbhán (died 925). The name 'is found in all the counties of Munster, but shortened to Ó Caoinleáin' (Quinlan) or metathesised to Ó Caoinliobháin (Quinlivan).[1][2]

  1. 925Four Masters: Caindealbhan, son of Maelcron, lord of Ui-Laeghaire, died.[7]
  2. 1017Four Masters: Domhnall Ua Caindealbhain, lord of Cinel-Laeghaire, slain.[8]
  3. 1085Four Masters: Aenghus Ua Caindealbhain, lord of Laeghaire, died.[9]
  4. 1136Four Masters: Domhnall Ua Caindealbhain, lord of Cinel-Laeghaire, killed by Tighearnan Ua Ruairc.[10]
  5. 189054 entries incl. spelling varieties (52 spelled Quinlan); 44 in Munster.[4][6]

Where in Ireland

Co. MeathÓ Caoindealbháin chiefs of Cinel Laoghaire, near Trim; the name 'is still in Meath', as Connellan and Conlon (Woulfe).[1]
Co. TipperaryFirst of the two counties where Quinlan births were principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. KerrySecond of the two counties where Quinlan births were principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named Quinlan

Caoindealbhánd. 925Woulfe: the Meath family 'derive their name and descent from Caoindealbhán (died 925)'.[1]

Other spellings

O Quinlan · O Kenlan · Quinlivan[2]

The Quinlan coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Quinlan surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Quinlan crest gifts

Clan Oquinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapHA87 Classic Cap - Oquinlan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Oquinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Quinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapPM37 Classic Cap - Quinlan Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Quinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Oquinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap KL64 Oquinlan Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Oquinlan Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Quinlan surname: questions

What does the surname Quinlan mean?

Woulfe treats Quinlan (Ó Caoinleáin) as a shortened form of Ó Caoindealbháin, 'descendant of Caoindealbhán', a personal name he glosses as 'gracefully shaped'.[1][2]

Is Quinlan an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists O Kenlan, O Quinlan and Quinlan as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Ó Caoinleáin, which he links to Ó Caoindealbháin.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Quinlan name from?

Woulfe says the Ó Caoindealbháin family were chiefs of Cinel Laoghaire near Trim, Co. Meath, and that the name is found in all the counties of Munster, shortened to Ó Caoinleáin. In 1890 Quinlan births were principally found in Tipperary and Kerry.[1][4]

Are Quinlan and Quinlivan the same name?

Woulfe gives both as Munster developments of Ó Caoindealbháin: shortened to Ó Caoinleáin (Quinlan) or metathesised to Ó Caoinliobháin (Quinlivan).[1][2][3]

Sources

  1. Ó Caoindealbháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caoindealbhain.php
  2. Ó Caoinleáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caoinleain.php
  3. Ó Caoinliobháin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caoinliobhain.php
  4. Quinlan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/quinlan.php
  5. Quinlan — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1753.php
  6. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 925 (part 3) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text003.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1017 (part 12) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text012.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1085 (part 19) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text019.html
  10. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1136 (part 24) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text024.html

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).