Surname Conners - Meaning and Origin

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K. Conners

Conners: What does the surname Conners mean?

The surname Conners is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Conchobhair". This translates to "descendant or grandson of Conchobhar", where Conchobhar is a personal name meaning "lover of hounds". It is a patronymic surname, derived from the name of a male ancestor. Its distinct spelling variations include Connor, Conner, Conor, Connors, O'Connor and others. Although this surname is common in Ireland, it is also found in several other countries due to Irish migration throughout history. Similar to many surnames that originated from patronyms, the original significance related to physical characteristics or other attributes of the initial bearer have been lost over generations. Today, the Conners surname is carried by various individuals without any necessary association with the original meaning. It is pertinent to note that the interpretation of surnames is a complex field, which combines elements of linguistic analysis with historical and cultural research.

Conners: Where does the name Conners come from?

The surname Conners is of Irish origin and derives from the Gaelic "O’Conchobhair," meaning "descendant of Conchobhar," which translates to "lover of hounds." This surname has many variations including O’Connor, Connor, and Connors. It first emerged in the province of Connacht, specifically in the county of Roscommon, an area where the O'Conchobhair family held a family seat from ancient times. Today, the last name Conners is most common in the United States, followed by England and Australia. However, it is still prevalent in its country of origin, Ireland, specifically in the areas of Connacht and Munster. It's important to note that the varying spellings of the name may impact the distribution data.

Variations of the surname Conners

The surname Conners has numerous variants and spellings that are often used interchangeably. Some of these include Conner, Connor, Conor, O'Connor, O’Conor, Connors, Canner, Cannar, Konner, Kanner, and the plural form Conners’.

The surname itself originates from the Gaelic name O'Conchobhair, meaning “descendant of Conchobhar” and stemming from Old Irish personal names. The anglicized versions Connor and Conner are most common, but variations can be found worldwide due to differences in regional pronunciation and transcription.

Significant regional variations exist in Ireland, where the O’Connor clan originated. In different parts of the country, the surname evolved differently leading to variations such as O’Conor in Roscommon and O'Conner in Kerry. It's important to note, the prefix "O'" implies a descendant of, so all these names hold the same basic meaning - descendant of Conchobhar.

This has also led to further variation when the names immigrated to English speaking countries. De facto standards based on phonetic spelling such as Konner might be used in Germany but would be rather rare.

Therefore, when researching genealogical sources, it's useful to consider all possible spellings and variants of the surname Conners.

Famous people with the name Conners

• Chuck Connors: An American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player, best known for his role in the TV series "The Rifleman".
• Mike Connors: An American actor, best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the television series "Mannix".
• Jimmy Connors: An American former world No. 1 tennis player, who won eight Grand Slam titles.
• Graeme Connors: An Australian country music singer and songwriter.
• Brett Connors: The son of Jimmy Connors, Brett has worked as a professional photographer, primarily in tennis.
• Patti Connors: The ex-wife of Jimmy Connors, she was a former Playboy Bunny and socialite.
• Kay Connors: An American former professional baseball player.
• Philip Connors: An American author, best known for his memoir "Fire Season".
• Bart Connors: An American former gymnast who won several Olympic medals and became a TV commentator on gymnastics events.
• Constance Connors: A notable venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and investor in the United States.

Other surnames

ConneallyConneellyConnelConnelanConnellConnellanConnellaneConnelleyConnellyConnelyConnerConnery