Irish: italic=no|Ó Cuindlis 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'[1] (a given name of uncertain meaning). It was also spelt with Irish: Cuindilis and Irish: Cuindleas, later Irish: Cuinnlis and Irish: Coinlis,[2] and in County Mayo[3] Irish: Coinleisc and Irish: Coinlisc. The earliest form of the name can be traced back to an abbot from the 8th century, named Cuindles.
See main article: article and Irish personal naming system. Anglicized variations of the surname include Candless, Conlish, Conlisk, Conliske,[4] Coynliske, Cundlish, Cunlish, Cunlisk, Quinless, Quinlish, Quinlisk, and Quinlist. Irish: Ó Cuindlis is etymologically related to McCandless and McCandlish, from Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Mac Cuindlis, 'Son of Cuindleas'.[5]