Show ContentsO'Klanseys History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish surnames in use today are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name O'Klanseys originally appeared in Gaelic as Mac Fhlannchaidh. The exact meaning of this name is undetermined; it can be translated as "son of Fhlannchadh," where "flann" means "reddish" or "ruddy." However, whether "caidh" denotes warrior as has been asserted is unknown.

Early Origins of the O'Klanseys family

The surname O'Klanseys was first found in Counties Clare and Leitrim. The more important of the two MacClancy septs were a branch of the MacNamaras and were from the north of County Clare, where they gave their name to Cathermacclancy. They traced their lineage from the Heber kings, and provided hereditary brehons (judges) to the O'Briens. They were most numerous in County Clare and the neighboring counties of Galway and Tipperary. The other sept of MacClancys were indigenous to Leitrim, and were Chiefs of Darty or Rosclogher. 1

Early History of the O'Klanseys family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Klanseys research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Klanseys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Klanseys Spelling Variations

Individual scribes in the Ireland during the Middle Ages would often record a person's name various ways. How the name was recorded depended on what that particular scribe believed the proper spelling for the name pronounced to him was. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the O'Klanseys family name include Clancy, Clancey, Clanchey, Clanchy, Clansey and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Klanseys family

More information is included under the topic Early O'Klanseys Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the O'Klanseys family

In the late 18th century, Irish families began emigrating to North America in the search of a plot of land to call their own. This pattern of emigration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s cause thousands of Irish to flee the death and disease that accompanied the disaster. Those that made it alive to the shores of the United States and British North America (later to become Canada) were, however, instrumental in the development of those two powerful nations. Many of these Irish immigrants proudly bore the name of O'Klanseys: Cornelius Clancey who settled in Barbados in 1680 with his wife and servants; Richard Clanchy settled in New York with his wife and eight children in 1820.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)


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