Surname Connel - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Connel: What does the surname Connel mean?
The last name Connel is of Scottish origin, having derived from the Gaelic form O'Connail, which translates as ‘son of Conail’. Conail is a diminutive of the Gaelic word ‘con’, which can mean ‘wolf’. Therefore, the surname can denote ‘son of the little wolf’.
The first written record of the name was in Midlothian on April 8, 1279, when a certain John O'Connail submitted to the English overlords. Later in 1525, John Connal witnessed a charter in Aberdeen, and in 1538, an Alexander Conall was vicar of St Andrews. During the Stewart era, Sir William Conall, who was a knight, appears in records in circa 1614, and a Sir John Connell was Scotland’s ambassador to England in 1604.
Clan Connell is found today in most of the Scottish highlands and Hebrides, as well as in Northern Ireland. The clan is a sept of both Clan Campbell and Clan MacKenzie, both clans having ties to the Highlands.
The Connells over the centuries have made a name for themselves in science, commerce, military, and many other fields. They are also well respected in many walks of life and command the loyalty of many clansmen, both within the Highlands and abroad.
Order DNA origin analysisConnel: Where does the name Connel come from?
The last name Connel is of Irish and Scottish descent. Historically, this last name was found primarily in Ireland and Scotland in the surnames O'Connel, Connell, Connellan, Connelan, MacConnel, and Conally. Today, the Connel name is most commonly found in these two countries. The majority of Connel families still live in Ireland and Scotland, with Irish and Scottish members of this family tending to be concentrated in major cities like Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Outside of Ireland and Scotland, the Connel name is also found scattered around the world due to emigration. Nowadays, one can find Connel families living in countries all around the world, especially those with large Irish or Scottish diasporas such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the United States specifically, the 2000 US census revealed that the last name Connel was the 8,925th most common surname, with 1,692 individuals bearing the last name. California had the highest number of individuals with the Connel last name in 2000, followed by New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia. It is interesting to note that, while the Connel family name is found all over the world, the majority of individuals with the name still remain primarily in Ireland and Scotland.
Variations of the surname Connel
The surname Connel has several known variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most commonly known variant of the surname is Connell, which is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic “O’Conaill” which is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic “Mac Conaill”, which translates to “son of Conall”. Other variants of the surname, such as Conlan, Connellan, Conal and O’Connell, can also be found in various records.
The Scottish variant of the surname Connel is Mac Connell or MacConnell, which is derived from either the Gaelic “Mac Conaill” or the Gaelic “Mac Connaill” which translates to “son of Conall” or “son of Connaill” respectively.
Other spellings of the surname include Connelle, Connal, Conn, Connely, Connelly, and Conyle.
The surname Connel can also be found in its anglicized forms, including Cannell, Kennell, Cannel, Kennel, Cannelle, Kennelle, Connolley, Konnely, Connoly, Connolly, Connelly, and Connally.
In addition to the variations described above, Connel can also be found in its Italian form, Conigli, which translates to “little rabbit”, and in its Irish variants Cassidy and Kazan.
In total, Connel has a wide variety of spellings and surnames of the same origin, all of them linking back to the original Gaelic forms.
Famous people with the name Connel
- John Connel: Irish artist known for artwork portraying rural Irish life and landscapes
- Randy Connel: American politician and former Ford Motor Company executive
- Mark Connel: American actor that starred in films such as The Aviator and The Help
- Ian Connel: British actor who starred in the Doctor Who episode Remembrance of the Daleks
- Paul Connel: British actor and director associated with the Royal Court Theatre
- Max Connel: British actor known for his starring role in the Blackadder series
- Raymond Connel: Canadian musician and composer of the classical symphony Last Requiem
- Robert Connel: Canadian anthropologist and First Nations elder
- Greer Connel: American psychologist and professor who pioneered the use of computer technology in assessment
- David Connel: English comedian, actor, and broadcaster known for his work on the BBC Radio 4 program The News Quiz