Show ContentsConlins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Conlins

What does the name Conlins mean?

Before Irish names were translated into English, Conlins 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 Conlins family

The surname Conlins was first found in Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Conlins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conlins 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 Conlins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conlins Spelling Variations

Official documents, crafted by early scribes and church officials, primarily contained names that were spelled according to their pronunciation. This lead to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations, creating an illusion that a single person was many people. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Conlins that are preserved in the archival documents of the time are Conlan, Conlin, Conlon, Connelen, Connelon, Connelan, O'Connelen, O'Conlan, O'Conlin, Connellon, Connellan and many more.

Early Notables of the Conlins family

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

Migration of the Conlins family

In the 18th and 19th centuries hundreds of thousands of Irish people immigrated to North American shores. The early settlers were enticed by the promise of their own land, but they were moderately well off in Ireland when they decided to emigrate. Therefore, they were merely carrying out a long and carefully thought out decision. The 1840s saw the emergence of a very different trend: thousands of extremely desperate people crammed into passenger boats hoping to find any type of opportunity. The Irish of this decade had seen their homeland severely stricken by crop failures which resulted in widespread disease and starvation. At whatever time the Irish immigrants came to North America, they were instrumental in the rapid development of the emerging nations of the United States and what would become known as Canada. An exhaustive search of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many persons bearing the name Conlins, or one of its variants: Michael Conlon settled in Maryland in 1774; Pat Conlan settled in Canada in 1839; James Conlin settled in Philadelphia in 1846; the family also settled in Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland in the 19th century..



The Conlins 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.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook