Conroy

Etymology and Origins

Conroy is an Irish surname with multiple possible origins. The most common derivation is the Anglicized form of Ó Conaire, which means "descendant of Conaire." The name Conaire itself means "hound keeper" in Irish, from the elements cú (genitive con) meaning "dog, hound, wolf." In Irish legend, Conaire Mór was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland.

However, the surname also has other origins. In some cases, Conroy is an Anglicized form of Ó Maolchonaire, a bardic family name from what is now East Galway and South Roscommon. In West County Galway, many bearers of the name descend from the Mac Conraoi family of Delbhna Tír Dhá Locha. This latter Irish family name was often anglicized as King due to the phonetic similarity with the Irish word rí (king). Similarly, the Ó Cingeadh/Ó Cionga bardic family from east of Loch Ree also had their name anglicized as King, but for English phonological reasons.

Variants

Variants of Conroy include Connery and the original Gaelic forms Ó Conaire and Mac Conraoi.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals with the surname Conroy include Al Conroy (born 1966), a Canadian ice hockey player; Alfred Conroy (1864–1920), an Australian politician and barrister; Andrew Meintjes Conroy (1877–1951), a South African politician; Annemarie Conroy, an American attorney and former politician; and Anthony Conroy (1895–1978), an American ice hockey player, among many others.

• Meaning: Descendant of Conaire, from Irish cú "hound"
• Origin: Irish
• Type: Surname
• Regions: Ireland (especially Galway, Roscommon), diaspora