Origin of the Clancy Clan Name

Clancy

The name Clancy is derived from the gaelic name Mac Fhlannchadh from the personal name Flannchadh which means (flann meaning red-haired man), so the carriers of the name would have been sons of a red haired man. The name Clancy was originally spelt MacClancy, they had a reputation for being in the “thick of fighting”. It’s not surprising that the name translates to the “son of the red warrior”.

The name originated from two different locations in the west of Ireland, in County Clare, Galway, Tipperary and Leitrim.

Clancy Sept Crest

The Clancys were a branch of the McNamaras, their ancestor being Flannchadh Mac Conmara, they formed part of the Dál gCais tribe where they acted as Brehans to the O’Brien chieftains. Their homeland was the Barony of Corcomroe in the North of Clare where they remained prominent.

Today the surname is still prominent in these areas of Clare and Leitrim.

Felix Clancy was he first recorded bearer of the name in Pennsylvania in the United States. There are over 12,000 carriers of the name in the US alone.

In Ireland a famous Clancy was Willie Clancy a world famous Piper from County Clare, he diedin 1973.

Variations of the name include Glancy, Clancey, Clanchey, Clanchy, Clansey among many more.