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 was also spelt with Cuindilis and Cuindleas,[1] later Cuinnlis and Coinlis,[2] and in County Mayo[3] Coinleisc and Coinlisc.
[1][3] The earliest form of the name can be traced back to an abbot from the 8th century, named Cuindles.
Anglicized variations of the surname include Candless, Conlish, Conlisk, Conliske,[4] Coynliske,[4] Cundlish,[1] Cunlish,[1] Cunlisk,[1] Quinless, Quinlish,[1] Quinlisk,[1] and Quinlist.
[4] Ó Cuindlis is etymologically related to McCandless and McCandlish, from Mac Cuindlis, 'Son of Cuindleas'.