Show ContentsKinsela History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Kinsela

What does the name Kinsela mean?

Today's Irish surnames are underpinned by a multitude of rich histories. The name Kinsela originally appeared in Gaelic as Cinnsealach. This surname is derived from the Clan name Ui Ceinnsealaigh.

Early Origins of the Kinsela family

The surname Kinsela was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Kinsela family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kinsela research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kinsela History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kinsela Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Kinsela revealed many variations, including Kinsella, Kinsellagh, Kincheloe,Kenselloe, Kinsello and many more.

Early Notables of the Kinsela family

More information is included under the topic Early Kinsela Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Kinsela migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Kinsela:

Kinsela Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Steph Kinsela, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 1

Kinsela migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kinsela Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Margaret Kinsela, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1825
  • James Kinsela, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1832
  • Martha Kinsela, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1842
  • Robert Kinsela, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1842

Kinsela migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kinsela Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Patrick Kinsela, (Kinsella), (b. 1789), aged 31, Irish brick layer who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for felony, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
  • Mary Kinsela, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Constance" 3
  • M. Kinsela, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1849 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Kinsela (post 1700) +

  • John Francis Kinsela AM (1950-2020), Australian indigenous wrestler who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics and in the 1972 Summer Olympics


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constance.htm


Houseofnames.com on Facebook