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Sullivan
The great and illustrious Irish family of (O) Sullivan descend from Eoghan Mor, father of the famous Olioll Olum, 3rd Century King of Munster. The Mac Carthy's, O'Keeffes and O'Callaghans were the other leading families of the Munster Eoghanacht i.e., descended from the above mentioned Eoghan, but (O)Sullivan remains the most widespread surname in Munster. The surname is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'Suileabhan". The Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "male descendant of", plus the personal byname Suileabhan, variously interpreted as "hawk-eyed" or "one-eyed". Several members of the clan were lords of the territory near Cahir, (Co. Tipperary), prior to the Anglo-Norman invasion. From 1200 on, they spread to Counties Cork and Kerry dividing into two main septs - O'Sullivan Mor and O'Sullivan Beare. The senior chieftain of the former sept had his stronghold at Kenmare Bay, Co. Kerry, and the latter chieftain was lord of Beare and Bantry. Owen Rua O'Suileabhan (1748-1784), was a great lyric poet, and Sir Arthur Sullivan, (1842-1900), of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, was of Irish descent. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Donal O'Sullivan Beare, which was dated 1560-1618, hero of the Siege of Dunboy, recorded in "Records of Dunboy, Bantry Bay", during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603.
Connor
This interesting surname, with variant spellings Con, Cone, Connell, Connelly, Connor, Couroy and Conne, widespread in the Auchry area of Aberdeenshire, and in the Province of Ulster, is an Anglicized form of the old Scots Gaelic "Siol Cuin" or "Con", literally meaning "the seed or race of Con", a byname from the Gaelic "con", hound. Bearers of this name proudly claim to be a branch of the great Clan Donald, through descent from a 13th Century William Con, "lauchfull sonne to Donald of the Iles and Kyntyr, chief of the Mackdonald". Members of this clan came to Ireland in the 13th Century and established themselves as gallowglasses in Ulster. However, in this Province, Conn may also derive from MacConn, itself, an Anglicized form of the rare County Down patronymic Mac Mhiolchon, "son of the hound-like one". George Con was the Pope's agent at the court of Charles 1's queen (1636 - 1639); Agnes, daughter of Robert Conn, was christened in Drumbo Presbyterian, County Down, on August 1st 1707, and on April 9th 1847 Catherine Conn was a famine emigrant to New York City. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Conn, witness to the laird of Balfour's bond, which was dated 1552, "Records of Aberdeenshire", Scotland, during the reign of Queen Mary, known as "Mary Queen of Scots", 1542 - 1567. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax.
Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Source: The Internet Surname Database, accessed June 5, 2010
Source: The Internet Surname Database, accessed June 5, 2010
