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Irish surname

O'Connell: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Conaill · 'descendant of Conall' (high-powerful, an ancient personal name)

O'Connell is an anglicised form of the Irish Ó Conaill, 'descendant of Conall'. Woulfe (1923) records at least three distinct families of the name, in Derry, Galway and Kerry, and calls O'Connell one of the most numerous Irish surnames. Woulfe writes that Daniel O'Connell, 'the Liberator' (1775–1847), made the surname 'for ever illustrious'; Webb records his birth near Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the O'Connell surname
Irish formÓ Conaill
Meaning'descendant of Conall' (high-powerful, an ancient personal name)
CountiesKerry, Derry, Galway, Clare
Other spellings2

Origin of the O'Connell name

Woulfe names at least three families: Ó Conaill of Derry, a branch of the Oirghialla, lords of Ui Mac Carthainn (barony of Tirkeeran); Ó Conaill of Galway, a branch of the Ui Maine in the south of the county; and Ó Conaill of Kerry, chiefs of Magh O gCoinchin until dispossessed by the O'Donoghues about the mid-11th century.[1]

  1. mid-11th centuryKerry Ó Conaill dispossessed of Magh O gCoinchin by the O'Donoghues.[1]
  2. 1743Count Daniel O'Connell born at Darrynane, Co. Kerry.[4]
  3. 1775Daniel O'Connell born at Carhen, near Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry.[3]
  4. 1828O'Connell wins the Clare election by 2,057 votes to 982.[3]
  5. 1829Catholic Emancipation Bill receives the royal assent on 13 April.[3]
  6. 1841Daniel O'Connell elected Lord Mayor of Dublin.[3]
  7. 1843Government proclamation forbids his planned monster meeting at Clontarf.[3]
  8. 1847Daniel O'Connell dies at Genoa on 15 May, aged 71.[3]
  9. 1890Birth indexes: 130 O'Connell births, 100 of them in Munster.[2]

Where in Ireland

Co. KerryKerry family: followers of MacCarthy More and hereditary castellans of Ballycarbery, near Caherciveen.[1]
Co. DerryÓ Conaill of Derry, anciently lords of Ui Mac Carthainn, now the barony of Tirkeeran.[1]
Co. GalwayA Ui Maine branch in south Galway, between the river Grian and the borders of Thomond.[1]
Co. ClareMaurice O'Connell, head of the Kerry family in Cromwell's time, was transplanted to Brentir, near Lisdoonvarna.[1]
Co. Cork1890 birth indexes: Cork, Limerick, Kerry and Dublin held about 80% of O'Connell births.[2]

Notable people named O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell, 'the Liberator'1775–1847Born near Cahersiveen; led the campaign for Catholic Emancipation and later for Repeal of the Union.[3]
Count Daniel O'Connell1743–1833Born at Darrynane; general in the French army, wounded at Gibraltar 1782; uncle of the Liberator.[4][1]
John O'Connell1811–1858Third son of the Liberator; MP from 1832; edited his father's Life and Speeches (1846).[5]

Other spellings

O Conaill · Connell[1]

The O'Connell coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the O'Connell 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.

O'Connell crest gifts

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O'Connell surname: questions

What does the surname O'Connell mean?

Woulfe gives O'Connell as an anglicised form of Ó Conaill, 'descendant of Conall', Conall being an ancient personal name meaning high-powerful.[1]

Where in Ireland is O'Connell from?

Woulfe records at least three families: in Derry (barony of Tirkeeran), in south Galway and in east Kerry. In the 1890 birth indexes, Cork, Limerick, Kerry and Dublin held about 80 per cent of O'Connell births.[1][2]

Are Connell and O'Connell the same name?

Woulfe lists O Conaill, O'Connell and Connell as anglicised forms of the same Irish surname, Ó Conaill.[1]

Who was Daniel O'Connell?

Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography (1878) records that Daniel O'Connell, 'the Liberator', was born at Carhen near Cahersiveen in 1775, won the Clare election in 1828, saw Catholic Emancipation become law in 1829, and died at Genoa in 1847.[3]

Sources

  1. Ó Conaill — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-conaill.php
  2. O'Connell — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909; 1890 birth indexes), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/oconnell.php
  3. Daniel O'Connell — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/DanielOConnell.php
  4. Count Daniel O'Connell — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CountDanielOConnell.php
  5. John O'Connell — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JohnOConnell.php

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