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Irish surname

Clancy: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Fhlannchadha, Mac Fhlannchaidh · 'son of Flannchadh' (ruddy-warrior)

Woulfe (1923) gives Clancy as an anglicised form of Mac Fhlannchadha, 'son of Flannchadh' (ruddy-warrior). He names two families: chiefs of Dartry in Co. Leitrim, and a Thomond family, a branch of the MacNamaras, who were hereditary brehons (judges) to the O'Briens in north-west Clare. In 1890, Ireland's birth indexes held 100 entries for Clancy (95 with that exact spelling), chiefly in Clare, Leitrim, Galway and Tipperary.

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Coat of arms associated with the Clancy surname
Irish formMac Fhlannchadha, Mac Fhlannchaidh
Meaning'son of Flannchadh' (ruddy-warrior)
CountiesClare, Leitrim, Galway, Tipperary
Other spellings4

Origin of the Clancy name

Two families, per Woulfe: (1) an ancient Co. Leitrim family, chiefs of Dartry, now the barony of Rosclogher, seated at Rosclogher and Dungarbry; (2) a Thomond family, a branch of the MacNamaras, hereditary brehons or judges to the O'Briens, at Knockfin and Cahermaclancy in north-west Co. Clare.[1]

  1. 1241Donnell Mac Clancy, Chief of Dartry, died.[5]
  2. 1483Conor Oge Mac Clancy, Ollav of Thomond, died; Hugh Mac Clancy succeeded him.[6]
  3. 1492Hugh Mac Clancy, Chief Brehon and Professor of Law in Thomond, died.[6]
  4. 1578John Mac Clancy, Chief Brehon to the Earl of Desmond, died.[7]
  5. 1585Four Masters: Boethius Mac Clancy, second Knight of Parliament elected for Clare.[8]
  6. 1890100 birth entries (95 spelled Clancy); chiefly Clare, Leitrim, Galway and Tipperary.[2][10]

Where in Ireland

Co. ClareThomond brehon family at Knockfin and Cahermaclancy; first county named for Clancy births in 1890.[1][2]
Co. LeitrimMac Fhlannchadha chiefs of Dartry (now barony of Rosclogher); a principal Clancy county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. GalwayAmong the four counties where Clancy births were principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. TipperaryAmong the four counties where Clancy births were principally found in 1890.[2]

Notable people named Clancy

Hugh Mac Clancyd. 1492The Four Masters record his death in 1492 as Chief Brehon and Professor of Law in Thomond.[6]
Boethius Mac Clancyd. 1598Of Cnoc-Finn, Co. Clare; died April 1598; 'a man fluent in the Latin, Irish, and English languages' (Four Masters).[9]

Other spellings

MacClancy · Clanchy · M'Clanchy · M'Clanaghy[1]

The Clancy coat of arms

'O CLANCY' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Clancy is entitled to a coat of arms.[4]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Clancy 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.

Clancy crest gifts

Clan Clancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap RJ29 Clancy Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Clancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45Clan Oclancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapKK92 Classic Cap - Oclancy Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Oclancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Clancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapGQ70 Classic Cap - Clancy Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Clancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Oclancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap ZM17 Oclancy Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Oclancy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45

Clancy surname: questions

What does the surname Clancy mean?

Woulfe gives Clancy as a form of Mac Fhlannchadha, 'son of Flannchadh', a personal name he glosses as 'ruddy-warrior'.[1]

Is Clancy an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe lists Clancy, MacClancy and Clanchy as anglicised forms of the Irish surname Mac Fhlannchadha.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Clancy name from?

Woulfe names two families: chiefs of Dartry in Co. Leitrim, and hereditary brehons to the O'Briens in north-west Co. Clare. In 1890 Clancy births were found chiefly in Clare, Leitrim, Galway and Tipperary.[1][2]

Were the Clancys brehons?

Yes. Woulfe says the Thomond family were hereditary brehons or judges to the O'Briens, and the Annals of the Four Masters record Hugh Mac Clancy (d. 1492) as Chief Brehon and Professor of Law in Thomond.[1][6]

Sources

  1. Mac Fhlannchadha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macf/mac-fhlannchadha-mac-fhlannchaidh.php
  2. Clancy — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/clancy.php
  3. Clancy — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/274.php
  4. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1241 (part 7) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text007.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1483 and 1492 (part 12) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005D/text012.html
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1578 (part 8) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text008.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1585 (part 9) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005E/text009.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan), 1598 (part 10) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005F/text010.html
  10. 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

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