Connellan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Before Irish names were translated into English, Connellan had a Gaelic form of Ó Conallain or Ó Coinghiollan in Connacht; the name is Ó Caoindealbhain in Munster and Leinster. Connal or Connall is claimed to be a pet name for a sprout or little sprout; a term of affection or endearment. 1
Early Origins of the Connellan family
The surname Connellan was first found in Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
Early History of the Connellan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Connellan research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1247, 1260, 1492, 1508, 1620 and 1695 are included under the topic Early Connellan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Connellan Spelling Variations
Lacking standardized spellings, scribes and church officials recorded people's name according to how they sounded. This practice often led to the misleading result of one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Connellan are preserved in the archival documents of the period. The various spellings of the name that were found include Conlan, Conlin, Conlon, Connelen, Connelon, Connelan, O'Connelen, O'Conlan, O'Conlin, Connellon, Connellan and many more.
Early Notables of the Connellan family
Notable among the family name at this time was
- Abraham O'Connellan, Archbishop of Armagh (1247-1260)
- Thomas O'Connellan, Bishop of Achonry (1492-1508)
Connellan 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:
Connellan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Martin Connellan, aged 22, a farm labourer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Countess of Kintore" in 1875
- Martin W. Connellan, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Countess of Kintore" in 1875
Contemporary Notables of the name Connellan (post 1700) +
- Joseph "Joe" Connellan (b. 1967), Irish nationalist politician and newspaper editor, Member of Parliament for South Armagh (1929 – 1933) and for South Down (1949 – 1967)
- Thomas Connellan (d. 1854), Irish scholar who published an Irish-English dictionary (1814), Irish grammars (1824–5), and translations of parts of the Bible 2
- Owen Connellan (1797-1871), Irish scholar who translated the Annals of the Four Masters into English in 1846, a native of co. Sligo and son of a farmer who claimed descent from the chiefs of Bunnyconnellan in Mayo 2
- Leo Paul Connellan (1913-1998), Australian politician, Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1969 to 1981
- Edward John "Eddie" Connellan AO CBE (1912-1983), Australian aviator who founded Connellan Airways in 1939
The Connellan 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: Inter Utrumque
Motto Translation: Between the two.
Citations +
- MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
- Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020