Origin & History

Anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic 'O Cuinn', meaning 'descendant of Conn', where 'Conn' derives from the Old Irish 'cond', meaning 'reason', 'intellect', or 'chief'. The name connects symbolically to Conn of the Hundred Battles, the legendary second-century High King of Ireland from whom many Connacht dynasties claimed descent. The principal Quinn sept was based in County Tyrone in Ulster, where they were lords of Muintir Luinigh, but Quinn families also emerged in County Clare and County Longford.