Contents [hide]

Conry History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Conry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The name Conry has changed considerably in the time that has passed since its genesis. It originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Maolconaire, denoting a descendant of the follower of Conaire. However, this was not the only Gaelic name Anglicized Conroy; others were Ó Conraoi, Mac Conraoi, Ó Conaire, and Ó Conratha. 1

Early Origins of the Conry family

The surname Conry was first found in around Galway Bay, where counties Galway and Clare meet. The Conroys first settled in Lough Corrib and Lough Lurgan, the ancient names of two lakes which now constitute Galway Bay. In modern times, Conrys are also common in Leix and Offaly. There were several different septs whose Gaelic names were Anglicized as Conroy, the most important of which was Ó Maolconaire.

They held a family seat in the parish of Clooncraff, near Strokestown in the county of Roscommon. They used the Anglicized form O'Mulconry, which was later shortened to Conry, and were distinguished as hereditary poets and historians to the kings of Connacht. One of the most significant members of this sept was Fearfasa O'Mulconry, who, with three of the O'Clerys, compiled the "Annals of the Four Masters" in 1636.

Also belonging to this sept was Maurice O'Mulconry, who completed a magnificent copy of the Book of Fenagh in 1517. Other septs who took the name Conroy included the O Conraoisept of Ui Maine, occupying territory in east Galway and south Roscommon, and also the Mac Conraoisept of Moycullen, who were found near the lakes of Lough Corrib and Lough Lurgan, now the Bay of Galway.

The surname King was often erroneously used during the late 17th and 18th century as an Anglicized form of several of these names, due to the similarity in sound between them and the Gaelic words Mac an Righ, which means 'son of the King.' This was particularly true among the MacConroys of Moycullen, who changed the name of their ancestral seat from Ballymaconry to Kingstown.

Early History of the Conry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conry research. Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1560, 1561, 1616, 1620, 1629, 1641 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Conry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conry Spelling Variations

The search for the origins of the name Conry family name revealed numerous spelling variations. These variants can be somewhat accounted for when it is realized that before widespread literacy people only recognized their name by pronunciation; it was up to scribes to decide how it was to be formally recorded. Variations found include Conroy, Conry, Conray, Conrey, O'Conroy, O'Conry, Connery, Conneray, Conneroy, Connroy, Connry and many more.

Early Notables of the Conry family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Most Rev. Florence Conry (1561-1620), Archbishop of Tuam. His name in Irish is Flathri O'Moelchonaire, and he was a native of Connaught. "After receiving a suitable education in Spain and the Netherla...
Fearfeasa O'Mulconry (O'Maelchonaire,) (fl. 1686), was an Irish chronicler who belonged to a family of the hereditary men of letters in Connaught, where he was born, probably at Cluainnahoidhche, near...
Flaithrí Ó Maolchonaire (also known as Florence Conry, Conroy, O'Mulconry, Omoelchonry Omulconner) (c.1560-1629), was an Irish Franciscan and theologian, founder of the College of St Anthony of Padua...

Conry migration to the United States +

A massive wave of Irish immigrants hit North America during the 19th century. Although many early Irish immigrants made a carefully planned decision to leave left Ireland for the promise of free land, by the 1840s immigrants were fleeing a famine stricken land in desperation. The condition of Ireland during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s can be attributed to a rapidly expanding population and English imperial policies. Those Irish families that arrived in North America were essential to its rapid social, industrial, and economic development. Passenger and immigration lists have revealed a number of early Irish immigrants bearing the name Conry:

Conry Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michael Conry, who landed in America in 1810 2
Catharine Conry, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2
Catherine Conry, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
James Conry, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 2
Judith Conry, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Conry migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Conry Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Garrett Conry, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1803 3
John Conry, who settled in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1806
David Conry, who settled in Quebec in 1825
Denis Conry, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the barque "Pallas" from Cork, Ireland
Joseph Conry, of Dumfries, Scotland, settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1857 3

Conry migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Conry Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Conry, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Henry Moore"
Winifred Conry, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Henry Moore"
John Conry, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Stamboul"

Contemporary Notables of the name Conry (post 1700) +

Susan E. Conry, American computer engineer and engineering educator known for her efforts in higher education accreditation, including leading the merger of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board into ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) in the late 1990s
Michael Francis Conry (1870-1917), American politician, born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, U.S. Representative from New York (1909-1917)
Joseph Aloysius Conry (1868-1943), American politician, United States Representative from Massachusetts (1901-1903), Consul of Russia to the United States (1912-1919), Chairman of the Boston Board of Aldermen (1898)
Kieran Thomas Conry (b. 1951), English prelate, Roman Catholic Bishop of Arundel and Brighton

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0