The Earliest Records
The earliest of our recorded history begins with the Ulster Annuls, where our surname (O Cuileannain) can be found in County Louth in the 12th century. It is possible that our family originated in this Northeastern county, the with the influx of settlers under James I of Scotland, many of the Irish were displaced to the furthest corners of the land. It is not for another 450 years that the surname appears in larger numbers--this time, scattered all around Ireland.

Between this time and the Irish Civil Survey (1659), there are precious few records which show Cullinan, Cullinane or Quillinan. This census shows all three surnames as well as their variant spellings in Cork, Clare, Galway and elsewhere in Ireland. The family name appears among the list of Irish Fiants during the reign of the Tudors in the late 1500s and early 1600s. The name again appears in the history books with the Spinning Wheel Premiums (1796) and in old Irish Wills (1772-1792), in many areas of Ireland.

The next major series of records to list our family name include lists of Irish who were Transported to Australia as well as Convicts from Ireland, Griffiths Valuation of Ireland (1855), as well as Immigration Records during the Irish Famine years. During this period in Irish history, thousands perished from disease or starvation and many lost their lives en route to their new homelands. Our families were among the many who endured great suffering or who died or who were displaced.

Our Traditional Homelands
The map of Ireland (below) is linked to the geographic area in which Cullinans, Cullinanes and Quillinans can be found in records. Select the county below to view the names of individuals who are believed to have originated in that county.