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Irish surname

Cullinane: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Cuileannáin · 'descendant of Cuileannán' (diminutive of Cuileann)

Woulfe (1923) gives Cullinane and Cullinan as anglicised forms of Ó Cuileannáin, 'descendant of Cuileannán'. He names a Co. Louth family who were anciently lords of Conaille, and a family of Corca Laoighdhe formerly seated in the barony of Barryroe in South Cork. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 50 entries including spelling varieties (26 spelled Cullinane, 19 Cullinan).

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Coat of arms associated with the Cullinane surname
Irish formÓ Cuileannáin
Meaning'descendant of Cuileannán' (diminutive of Cuileann)
CountiesCork, Waterford, Clare, Louth
Other spellings8
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Cullinane crest gifts

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Origin of the Cullinane name

Woulfe: the name '(1) of a Co. Louth family who were anciently lords of Conaille; and (2) of a family of Corca Laoighdhe, formerly seated in the barony of Barryroe, in South Cork.' He also notes 'a remarkable family of the name in Tirconnell', and an Orrery family named by Dr. O'Brien that he 'failed to trace'.[1]

  1. 1039Four Masters: among the deaths of 1039, 'Ceileachair Ua Cuileannain, successor of Tighearnach'.[5]
  2. 1625John O'Culenen's episcopate as Bishop of Raphoe begins; it runs to 1661.[6]
  3. 1661Bishop John O'Culenen dies at Brussels, 24 March.[6]
  4. 1690'O CULLINAN' appears (twice) in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[4]
  5. 189050 birth entries incl. spelling varieties (26 Cullinane, 19 Cullinan).[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkCorca Laoighdhe family formerly seated in Barryroe, South Cork; a principal 'Cullinane' county in 1890.[1][2]
Co. WaterfordWith Cork, where the 'Cullinane' spelling was principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. ClareWhere the 'Cullinan' spelling was principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. LouthWoulfe: a Co. Louth family 'anciently lords of Conaille'.[1]

Notable people named Cullinane

John O'Cullinan (O'Culenen)Bishop of Raphoe 1625–1661Confined four years in Derry, freed 1647; left Ireland 1653; died at Brussels, 24 March 1661.[1][6]

Other spellings

Cullinan · O Cullinan · O Cullanayne · Culnane · Quillinan · Quilnan · Cullanan · Quillenan[1][2][3]

The Cullinane coat of arms

'O CULLINAN' is printed twice 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 Cullinane is entitled to a coat of arms.[4]

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

Cullinane surname: questions

What does the surname Cullinane mean?

Woulfe gives Cullinane as a form of Ó Cuileannáin, 'descendant of Cuileannán', which he explains as a diminutive of Cuileann.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Cullinane name from?

Woulfe names a Co. Louth family, anciently lords of Conaille, and a family of Corca Laoighdhe formerly seated in the barony of Barryroe, South Cork. In 1890 the spelling Cullinane was principally found in Cork and Waterford, and Cullinan in Clare.[1][2]

Are Cullinane and Cullinan the same name?

Woulfe lists both as anglicised forms of Ó Cuileannáin, and Matheson's 1890 birth table counts Cullinane (26) and Cullinan (19) together.[1][2]

Was there a Bishop O'Cullinan?

Woulfe says Dr. John O'Cullinan, Bishop of Raphoe at the period of the Confederation, belonged to a remarkable family of the name in Tirconnell. The Catholic Encyclopedia (spelling him O'Culenen) gives his episcopate as 1625 to 1661 and says he died at Brussels.[1][6]

Sources

  1. Ó Cuileannáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-cuileannain.php
  2. Cullinane — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/cullinane.php
  3. Cullinane — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/394.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), 1039 (part 14) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/text014.html
  6. Diocese of Raphoe — Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Diocese_of_Raphoe

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