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McCandless (surname)

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McCandless, MacCandless
Pronunciation/mɪkˈkænd.ləs/
Language(s)Irish and Scottish Gaelic
Origin
Meaning'Son of Cuindleas'
Region of origin
Other names
Variant form(s)McCandlis, McCanlis, McAndless,[1] McAnliss, McCandlass, McCandliss,[2] McCanliss, McAndles,[3] and many others

McCandless (/mɪkˈkænd.ləs/, mik-CAND-ləs) is a Gaelic surname, both Irish (Ulster)[4] and occasionally Scottish.[5] It is the Anglicized form of the Middle Irish Mac Cuindlis (among other spellings) 'son of Cuindleas', an Old Irish given name of uncertain meaning.[1][3][6]

Distribution and variants

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In historical census and other data, the name is mostly confined to the province of Ulster, especially County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, and counties Antrim, Down, and Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland.[4] Some variants include McCandlis, McCanlis, McAndless,[1] McAnliss, McCandlass, McCandliss,[2] McCanliss, and McAndles,[3] among others. Spellings with Mac were believed to be extinct by the first half of the 20th century,[7] but still survive among a few families, primarily in Canada.[8] As with other names of this sort, versions with M' were also attested until the early 20th century.[2]

The name is closely related to McCandlish, from the same derivation but primarily found in Scotland.[7] Some other recorded Scottish variants are more similar to McCandless, e.g. McCanleis and McCaunles,[7] and some in the north of Ireland closer to McCandlish, e.g. McCandleish.[2] McCandless itself is also thinly attested in Scotland.[5]

The name is etymologically but probably not familially related to the Ó Cuindlis ('descendant of Cuindleas'), a literary family of Uí Mháine in west-central Ireland.[3][9][10] The earliest form of the given name can be traced back to an abbot from the 8th century called Cuindles.[1][9][11]

Notable McCandlesses

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Woulfe, Patrick (1922). "MacCuindilis, MacCuindlis". Irish Names and Surnames / Sloinnte Gaelheal Is Gall. Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son. p. 68 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d Matheson, Robert E. (1901). "1242: M'Candless". Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland. Dublin: HM Stationery Office. p. 50 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ a b c d MacLysaght, Edward (1997) [1957]. "Mac Candless". The Surnames of Ireland (6th ed.). Dublin: Irish Academic Press. pp. 35–36 – via Internet Archive. Link is to 1985 edition, but pagination is the same. A newer edition of this book exists (1989, ISBN 9780716523666).
  4. ^ a b "1901/1911 Census, Ireland / Search: McCandless". Search Census. National Archives of Ireland. 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
    The data can be visualised with maps provided here:
    Griffin, Barry (2023). "MacCandless Surname Maps of Ireland". Irish Surname Maps for the 1901 and 1911 Census of Ireland. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b Griffin, Barry (2023). "Surname Maps for the MacCandless Surname in Scotland". Scottish Surname Maps for the 1901 Census of Scotland.
  6. ^ "Surname Database: McCandless Last Name Origin". The Internet Surname Database. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Black, George F. (1962) [1946]. The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History (2nd ed.). New York Public Library. p. 131, "Candlish"; p. 464, "MacCandlish". ISBN 978-0-87104-172-2 – via Internet Archive. A newer edition of this book exists (2015, ISBN 9781626540590).
  8. ^ "MacCandless Surname Definition". Forebears. 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Woulfe, Patrick (1922). "Ó Cuindlis". Irish Names and Surnames / Sloinnte Gaelheal Is Gall. Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son. p. 93 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ Koch, John T. (2006). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. vol. 3, pp. 1119, 1121; vol. 5, p. 2102. ISBN 9781851094400.
  11. ^ Ryan, John (1938). "The Abbatial Succession at Clonmacnoise". In Ryan, John (ed.). Feil-Sgribhinn Eóin Mhic Neill / Essays and Studies Presented to Professor Eóin Mac Neill. Dublin: Three Candles Press. p. 499. A revised edition of this book exists (1995, ISBN 9781851821808).