Conmy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

All Irish surnames have a long, ancient Gaelic history behind them. The original Gaelic form of the name Conmy is Ó Conbhuidhe or Ó Connmhachain. The former of these names likely comes from the Gaelic word "condmach," while the latter probably comes from "cu buidhe." 1

Conway is also an Anglicization of the names Mac Conmheadha or Mac Connmhaigh. One of the first records of the family was Gillabrighde MacConmidhe (fl. 1260) the Irish "historian and poet, a member of a family which for more than three centuries acted as hereditary poets of the Cinel Eoghain, the O'Neills, and their kindred septs. He was born about 1200, and wrote a poem on Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor during the lifetime of that king, who died in 1224. Brian O'Neill, chief of the Cinel Eoghain, once gave him twenty horned cows (fiche bo bheannach) for poem, and on another occasion, after the feativities of May day, gave him twenty cows, besides gold and clothing." 2 He was the progenitor of a long line of early Irish poets that were known into the mid 16th century.

Early Origins of the Conmy family

The surname Conmy was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, and Connacht. The name is "the anglicized form of several different Irish surnames." 3 The name MacConway (McConway) was typically found in Donegal while the name Conway was found in nearby Sligo in the parish of Easky. 3

Early History of the Conmy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conmy research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1360, 1420, 1434, 1493, 1507, 1542, 1564, 1583, 1586, 1594, 1607, 1623, 1628, 1630, 1631, 1655, 1661, 1669, 1679, 1681 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Conmy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conmy Spelling Variations

Names written in official documents were generally spelt as they sounded, leading to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion in records of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Conmy that are preserved in documents of the family history are Conway, Conboy, Convey, O'Conway, McConway and others.

Early Notables of the Conmy family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Edward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway PC (1564-1631), an English soldier and statesman, Secretary of State in 1623, Lord President of the Council (1628-1631); his son, Edward Conway, 2nd Viscount Conway PC (1594-1655), an English politician, military commander and peer; and his son, Edward Conway, 1st Earl of Conway PC...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Conmy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Conmy family

The English-ruled Ireland of the late 18th and 19th centuries featured a rapidly increasing population and an agricultural-based economy. This combination proved to be disastrous in the 1840s after a couple of failed potato harvests. Thousands died of disease and starvation, and thousands more left the country, often bound for North America. Those that survived the journey to North America were put to work building the bridges, canals, roadways, and railways needed for the development of an industrial society. Those Irish, although often despised by those already established in North American cities and towns, played an instrumental role in making Canada and the United States the powerful and wealthy nations that they are today. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has shown many immigrants bearing the name Conmy: Edwin Conway of Worcestershire, England, who settled in the year 1645 in Virginia. From him was descended Mary Ball, the mother of George Washington.

Contemporary Notables of the name Conmy (post 1700) +

Patrick Anthony Conmy (b. 1934), United States federal judge
Oliver Martin "Ollie" Conmy (1939-2014), Irish footballer who played as a winger in the 1960s and 1970s, member of the Republic of Ireland National Team (1967-1969)

The Conmy Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide et amore
Motto Translation: By fidelity and love.

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)