Kinsella Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kinsella last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Kinsella last name
Meaning of the Kinsella last name: from Cinnsealach, byname of Éanna MacMurrough. Kinsella comes from Cinnsealach, the byname of Éanna, a son of Dermot MacMurrough, the king of Leinster who invited the Anglo-Normans to Ireland and died in 1171. Éanna's descendants took the byname as their surname, echoing the ancient Uí Cheinnsealaigh dynasty of south Leinster. They held land in the barony of Gorey in north Wexford. It is one of the few Irish surnames with neither Ó nor Mac, and it is still most common in Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow and Dublin. Dermot had been deposed in 1166 and sought help from Henry II of England. The name is also found as Kinchella, and many Kinsellas emigrated to England, the United States and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Kinsella name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Kinsella name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Kinsella name FAQ
What does the Kinsella name mean?
From Cinnsealach, byname of Éanna MacMurrough. Common variants include Kinsellagh, Kinsela, MacKinsella.
Where does the Kinsella surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Kinsella coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Kinsella crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kinsella coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).