The Clan/Sept History

Quinn is one of the most numerous Irish surnames, the number of people in Ireland so called at the present day being estimated at seventeen thousand: in the list of commonest surnames it occupies twentieth place in the country as a whole and first place in Co. Tyrone, though widespread in many counties. Tyrone is the place of origin of one of the five distinctive septs of this name. The most notable were the Dalcassian sept of Thomond, whos territory lay around Corofin, in the Barony of Inchiquin, Co. Clare; and that of Antrim, where the Quinns have long been associated with the Glens of Antrim. The O'Quinns of Co. Longford were also an important sept, being of the same stock as the O'Farralls of Annaly. It will be noticed that the place names Inchiquin, Ballyquin etc., are spelt with only one final N. There are two in Irish--O'Quinn--which surname is formed from the personal name Conn.