Irish Surname - Cullen
Origin of the Irish surname Cullen
The Irish surname Cullen is derived from the Gaelic name "O'Cuilinn" or "Mac Cuilinn," which means "descendant of Cuilinn." Cuilinn was a personal name that means "holly" in Gaelic. The Cullen family is believed to have originated in County Wexford in the southeast of Ireland.
According to the website Forebears, which analyzes data from various sources such as telephone directories and voter lists, the Cullen surname is most common in Ireland, followed by the United States and England. As of 2014, there were an estimated 12,500 people with the Cullen surname in Ireland, and 9,900 in the United States.
The website Ancestry.com lists the Cullen surname as the 1,367th most common surname in the United States, with an estimated 55,000 individuals bearing the name. The highest numbers of Cullens can be found in New York, California, and Illinois.
The 1901 census of Ireland shows that the Cullen surname was most prevalent in County Wexford, followed by County Tipperary and County Kilkenny.
The 1911 census of Ireland shows a similar pattern, with the highest number of Cullens still in County Wexford, followed by County Tipperary and County Kilkenny.
Names of Interesting People with the Surname Cullen
Variations of the Irish Surname Cullen
- Cullane: This variation of Cullen is most commonly found in County Cork, and is thought to be derived from the Irish words "coill an," meaning "the wood of."
- Culhoun: This variation of Cullen is more commonly found in Northern Ireland, particularly in County Tyrone. It is thought to be derived from the Irish "O'Cuillean," meaning "descendant of Cuileann," a personal name meaning "holly."
- MacCullen: This variation of Cullen is found mainly in County Laois and is derived from the Irish "Mac Cuilin," meaning "son of Cuilen."
- McCullen: This variation of Cullen is more commonly found in Northern Ireland, particularly in County Derry. It is also derived from "Mac Cuilin," meaning "son of Cuilen."
- O'Cullen: This variation of Cullen is derived from the Irish "O'Cuilin," meaning "descendant of Cuilin," a personal name meaning "holly."
Coat of Arms and Motto of the Irish Surname Cullen
The coat of arms for the Cullen family features a green shield with a gold band across the center, with three gold crowns above the band. The motto on the coat of arms is "Avise la Fin," which translates to "Consider the End" in English. The coat of arms reflects the family's long history and importance in Irish society.
Please Note
There is often limited information available on a specific coat of arms and motto for an Irish surname. Sometimes there are many variations, sometimes none, we have compiled a representative, but by no means exhaustive, selection. Please visit our Coat of Arms and Motto page for more information.
DNA And Your Irish Roots
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- Y-chromosome and Father's Ancestral Line
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