Conor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland
England

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Conor originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Conchobhair, derived from the personal name Conchobhar. 1

Early Origins of the Conor family

The surname Conor was first found in Connacht. There were six different septs of this famous name scattered throughout Ireland, of which four continue to boast many members. However, the most important O'Connors were those of Connacht, divided into three main branches: O'Conor Don; O'Conor Roe; and O'Conor Sligo.

The Connacht O'Connors were direct descendants of Conchobhar, King of Connacht, who died in 971 AD. Furthermore, this family produced the last two High Kings of Ireland: Turlough O'Connor (1088-1156) and Roderick O'Connor (1116-1196). It was the invasion of Leinster by Roderick O'Conner on behalf of the Prince of West Brefney that caused the King of Leinster, Dermod MacMorough, to flee to England for aid. This resulted in the Strongbow Invasion of 1168, the beginning of English domination over Ireland.

Despite remaining stubbornly Catholic, the O'Connor family continued to maintain their elite position among the Irish nobility throughout the entire period of British dominance.

Early History of the Conor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Conor research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1002, 1641, 1652, 1666, 1698, 1710, 1763, 1791, 1838, 1852 and 1906 are included under the topic Early Conor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Conor Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Conor revealed many variations, including Connor, Conner, Conor, Connors, O'Connor, Connores, Conner, Connar, Connars, O'Connar, O'Conner, Connair, Connairs, Connaire, Connaires, Cawner, Cawners, Caunnor, Cauner, Cauners and many more.

Early Notables of the Conor family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Cabrach O'Conor and Hugh O'Connor, son and grandson of O'Conor Don, took a prominent part in the 1641-1652 wars
Charles O'Conor (1710-1791), was Collector of Irish manuscripts; Charles Owen O'Connor (1838-1906), President of the Royal Irish Academy; and Arthur O'Connor (1763-1852), was an United Irishman and ge...

Conor migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Conor:

Conor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Dionis Conor, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1607 2

Conor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Conor, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1805 2

Conor migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Conor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary Conor, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1822

Contemporary Notables of the name Conor (post 1700) +

William Conor OBE RHA RUA ROI (1881-1968), Northern Irish artist from Belfast
Conor Hanifin, American actor, known for Swat (2014), Myra Hindley: The Untold Story (2013) and Stage 5 (2009)
Conor Harrity (b. 1994), American rower, known as John Conor Harrity, he competed in the men's eight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Conor Geraroid Hourihane (b. 1991), Irish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Derby County and the Republic of Ireland national team
Conor Angus Cloud Hickey (1998-2023), known by his stage name Angus Cloud, an American actor best known for his portrayal of Fezco in the HBO television series Euphoria (2019–2022); he tragically died at the age of 25
Conor Myles John O'Brien (1943-2023), 18th Baron Inchiquin, an English-born, Irish Clan chief and holder of an Irish peerage
Conor Geekie (b. 2004), Canadian junior ice hockey centre for the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from Strathclair, Manitoba, younger brother of Morgan Geekie
Conor Pelan, American actor, known for Splash Area (2012)and The Red Haven
Conor Connelly (1975-2020), Irish Gaelic footballer
Conor Joseph Mullee (b. 1988), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees in 2016

The Conor 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: O Dhia gach an cabhair
Motto Translation: From God Every Help

Citations +

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