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Irish surname

Conroy: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Mac Conraoi; Ó Conraoi; Ó Maolchonaire (and others) · Several Irish names: Mac Conraoi, 'son of Cúraoi' (hound of the plain, or of battle); Ó Conraoi, 'descendant of Cú-raoi' (hound of the plain); Ó Maolchonaire, 'descendant of Maolchonaire' (follower of Conaire)

Woulfe (1923) gives Conroy as an anglicised form of Mac Conraoi, a family anciently lords of a territory in the barony of Moycullen, Co. Galway, and of Ó Conraoi, a branch of the Ui Maine in Co. Galway. He adds that the name of the learned Ó Maolchonaire (O'Mulconry) family is 'too often disguised' as Conry and Conroy. In 1890 Conroy births were found nearly all in Galway, Queen's County and Dublin.

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Coat of arms associated with the Conroy surname
Irish formMac Conraoi; Ó Conraoi; Ó Maolchonaire (and others)
MeaningSeveral Irish names: Mac Conraoi, 'son of Cúraoi' (hound of the plain, or of battle); Ó Conraoi, 'descendant of Cú-raoi' (hound of the plain); Ó Maolchonaire, 'descendant of Maolchonaire' (follower of Conaire)
CountiesGalway, Queen's County, Dublin, Roscommon
Other spellings5

Origin of the Conroy name

Woulfe gives no single origin. Mac Conraoi, 'said to be of Dalcassian origin', were anciently lords of Dealbna Thire-da-locha, barony of Moycullen, Co. Galway; Ó Conraoi was a branch of the Ui Maine in Co. Galway. Conroy also disguises Ó Maolchonaire, poets and chroniclers to the Kings of Connacht, seated near Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.[1][2][3]

  1. 16th centuryÓ Conraoi, a Galway Ui Maine name, 'very scattered' by then.[2]
  2. 1588Florence Conroy appointed Provincial of the Franciscans in Ireland.[7]
  3. 1610Florence Conroy appointed Archbishop of Tuam.[7]
  4. 1616Irish College at Louvain founded through Florence Conroy's exertions.[7]
  5. 1629Florence Conroy dies at Madrid, 18 November.[7]
  6. 189078 Conroy births registered, nearly all in Galway, Queen's County and Dublin.[6]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwayFirst county named for Conroy births in 1890; home of Mac Conraoi (Moycullen) and of Ó Conraoi (Ui Maine).[6][1][2]
Co. Queen's CountyNamed by Matheson with Galway and Dublin as where 1890 Conroy births were nearly all found.[6]
Co. DublinNamed by Matheson among the counties holding nearly all 1890 Conroy births.[6]
Co. RoscommonThe Ó Maolchonaire (O'Mulconry) literary family was seated at Clonahee, near Strokestown.[3]
Co. ClareA learned branch of the O'Mulconrys settled at Ardkyle, in the parish of Feenagh.[3]
Co. OffalyMac Conratha was 'an old Offaly surname'; Woulfe prints Conroy for it only in brackets.[4]

Notable people named Conroy

Florence Conroy1560–1629Galway-born Franciscan; appointed Archbishop of Tuam in 1610; the Irish College at Louvain was founded through his exertions.[7][3]
John O'Mulconryflourished first half of the 17th centuryOf the Ó Maolchonaire family; 'chief teacher in history of all the men of Erin in his own time'.[3]

Other spellings

Conry · M'Conry · O Conree · Conree · Mulconry[1][3][5]

The Conroy coat of arms

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

Conroy crest gifts

Clan Conroy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapFA68 Classic Cap - Conroy Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Conroy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45

Conroy surname: questions

What does the surname Conroy mean?

It depends on the family. Woulfe gives Mac Conraoi as 'son of Cúraoi' (hound of the plain, or of battle), Ó Conraoi as 'descendant of Cú-raoi' (hound of the plain), and Ó Maolchonaire as 'descendant of Maolchonaire' (follower of Conaire).[1][2][3]

Where in Ireland is the Conroy name from?

Woulfe places Mac Conraoi in the barony of Moycullen and Ó Conraoi among the Ui Maine, both in Co. Galway, and the Ó Maolchonaire family near Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. In 1890 Conroy births were nearly all in Galway, Queen's County and Dublin.[1][2][3][6]

Why are some Conroys called King?

Woulfe says Mac Conraoi is now usually mistranslated King in Munster and Connacht, 'owing to the erroneous belief' that it comes from 'rígh', a king.[1]

Are Conroy and Conry the same name?

Woulfe lists both Conry and Conroy among the anglicised forms of Mac Conraoi and of Ó Maolchonaire, so the two spellings can stand for the same Irish names.[1][3]

Sources

  1. Mac Conraoi — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conraoi.php
  2. Ó Conraoi — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-conraoi.php
  3. Ó Maolchonaire — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-maolchonaire.php
  4. Mac Conratha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-conratha.php
  5. Ó Conaire — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-conaire.php
  6. Conroy — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/conroy.php
  7. Conroy, Florence — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/FlorenceConroy.php

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