Show ContentsConsidine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many Irish surnames in use today have long rich histories behind them. The name Considine originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Consaidin. This surname is an instance of a Gaelic surname being derived from a foreign Christian name; it means son of Constantine.

Early Origins of the Considine family

The surname Considine was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Considine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Considine research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1194 is included under the topic Early Considine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Considine Spelling Variations

The scribes who created documents long before either the Gaelic or English language resembled their standardized versions of today recorded words as they sounded. Consequently, in the Middle Ages the names of many people were recorded under different spellings each time they were written down. Research on the Considine family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Considine, McConsidine, Considene, McConsidene and others.

Early Notables of the Considine family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • Cornelius MacConsidine, a distinguished Irish exile, living in Brussels

Considine Ranking

In the United States, the name Considine is the 14,368th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Considine migration to the United States +

Suffering from poverty and racial discrimination, thousands of Irish families left the island in the 19th century for North America aboard cramped passenger ships. The early migrants became settlers of small tracts of land, and those that came later were often employed in the new cities or transitional work camps. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Although the immigrants from this period were often maligned when they arrived in the United States, they provided the cheap labor that was necessary for the development of that country as an industrial power. Early immigration and passenger lists have revealed many immigrants bearing the name Considine:

Considine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Considine, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1860 [2]
  • Dennis, Martin, Mathew, Patrick, and Mathew Considine, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870
  • Patrick Considine, who arrived in Iowa in 1882 [2]

Canada Considine migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Considine Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Patrick Considine, who arrived in Quebec in 1840
  • Mr. Thomas Considine, aged 22 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Sir Henry Pottinger" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 [3]

Australia Considine migration to Australia +

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

Considine Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Margaret Considine, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Britannia" in 1846 [4]
  • Margaret Considine a domestic servant, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Britannia" in 1846 [4]
  • Mary Considine, aged 25, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Sea Queen" [5]
  • Pat. Considine, aged 36, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" [6]
  • Bridget Considine, aged 19, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Hammond" [7]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Considine migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Considine Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Ried Considine, aged 40, a painter, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876

Contemporary Notables of the name Considine (post 1700) +

  • Patrick George "Paddy" Considine (b. 1973), English two-time BAFTA Award winning actor, film director, screenwriter, and musician
  • Timothy Daniel "Tim" Considine (1940-2022), American former child actor and young adult actor, known for his roles in The Hardy Boys, My Three Sons and The Clown with Red Skelton, great-grandson of John Considine
  • J. D. Considine (b. 1957), American music critic for Rolling Stone (1979-1996)
  • John J. Considine III (b. 1948), American former politician and attorney, Member of the Florida House of Representatives (1974-1978)
  • Dave Considine, American demonologist and paranormal investigator, one of North America's few lay religious demonologists that is sanctioned by Traditionalist Catholic Churches
  • John William Considine III (b. 1935), American writer and actor from Los Angeles, grandson of John Considine
  • Robert "Bob" Bernard Considine (1906-1975), American writer and commentator who co-authored Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and The Babe Ruth Story, son of John Considine
  • John Considine (1868-1943), American impresario and early vaudeville actor, born in Chicago, as a travelling actor he settled in Seattle, Washington in 1889 and later held three gaming operations
  • John Considine (b. 1935), American actor, known for his roles in Straightaway, Combat!, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The F.B.I., Mannix, Lou Grant, Knight Rider, MacGyver and Murder, She Wrote
  • Sean Considine (b. 1981), American NFL football player for the Philadelphia Eagles (2005-2008), Jacksonville Jaguars (2009-2010), Carolina Panthers (2011), Arizona Cardinals (2011) and Baltimore Ravens (2012)
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 21)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITANNIA 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Britannia.htm
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SEA QUEEN 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850SeaQueen.htm
  6. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHARLOTTE JANE 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/charlottejane1852.shtml
  7. South Australian Register Wednesday 20th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Willaim Hammond 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamhammond1854.shtml


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