The o'connell Surname
o'connell Name Meaning and History
Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Conaill ‘descendant of
Conall’, a personal name, possibly composed of the elements
con, from cú ‘hound’ or ‘wolf’ (genitive con)
+ gal ‘valour’. It was borne by many early chieftains and
warriors of Ireland, including the Ulster hero Conall Cearnach, one of
the two sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages, who gave his name to
Tirconell, otherwise known as Donegal. It was further popularized by
the fame of a 7th-century Irish saint, abbot of Inis Caoil.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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