O'Connel Surname History

Origins Available:
Ireland

Irish surnames are all based on the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name O'Connel is Ó Conaill. 1

Early Origins of the O'Connel family

The surname O'Connel was first found in County Limerick where O'Connell was the chief of Hy-Cuilean, a territory south-east of Abbeyfeale, in the barony of Upper Connello near the borders of Cork and Kerry. The O'Connells had their chief residence in Castle Connell. In the twelfth century the O'Connells settled in Kerry. One reference claims that the O'Falvies, admirals of Desmond; the O'Connells, of Kerry; O'Sheas, chiefs of Muskerry, in Cork; and several other chiefs, claim descent from the Clan na Deaga, Chiefs of Munster, originally a branch of the Heremonians of Ulster.

The Cannell variant is "a name peculiar to the Isle of Man, is from the Celtic MacConaill." 2

Early History of the O'Connel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Connel research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1300, 1621, 1641, 1678, 1743, 1775, 1826 and 1833 are included under the topic Early O'Connel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Connel Spelling Variations

Before widespread literacy came to Ireland, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Accordingly, numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name O'Connel family name. Variations found include Connell, O'Connell, Cannell, Connall, Conell, Conall, Connill, Connull, Connel, Connal, Connul, Canell, Cannel, O'Connall, O'Conell and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Connel family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

Capuchin Father Robert O'Connell (c.1621-1678)
Daniel Count O'Connell (1743-1833), colonel of the Irish Brigade

O'Connel migration to Australia +

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

O'Connel Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Michael O'Connel, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Melbourne"

O'Connel 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:

O'Connel Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James O'Connel, (b. 1843), aged 21, British printer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 24th March 1864 3

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html