was the name of an Irish family of brehons and scholars from Uí Maine, located in present-day County Galway and County Roscommon, in Connacht. It means 'Descendant of Cuindleas' (a given name of uncertain meaning). It was also spelt with and , later and , and in County Mayo Based on the 1923 edition of Woulfe. and . The earliest form of the name can be traced back to an abbot from the 8th century, named Cuindles.
Naming conventions
Anglicized variations of the surname include Candless, Conlish, Conlisk, Conliske, Based on the 1923 edition of Woulfe. Coynliske, Cundlish, Cunlish, Cunlisk, Quinless, Quinlish, Quinlisk, and Quinlist. is etymologically related to McCandless and McCandlish, from , 'Son of Cuindleas'. Based on the 1923 edition of Woulfe. MaleDaughterWife (Long)Wife (Short)Ó CuindlisNí CuindlisBean Uí CuindlisUí Cuindlis
Notable individuals
Domnall Ó Cuindlis, ( 1342), historian Murchadh Ó Cuindlis ( 1398–1411; also spelled Ó Cuinnlis), a scribe of the Book of Lecan and An Leabhar Breac Cornelius Ó Cuinnlis (also spelled Ó Cunlis or O'Cunlis; fl. 1444–1469), a Catholic bishop of Emly and later of Clonfert
See also McCandless (surname) McCandlish Candlish
References