Siabair thinks the name comes from an anglicisation of Mac Aindíles meaning son of Aindíles. I got that MacCuindlis origin in my original post, from a list of ancient names, but it may be the origin of other names also. I see this at; http://members.shaw.ca/bethcandlish/fam2.htm The Scottish surname Candlish, Mac Candlish and Chandlish are anglicized forms of the Gaelic Mac Cuindlis or MacCuindilis. It is of patronymic origin, derived from the first name of the father of the initial bearer. In this instance, the name indicates son of Cuindlis, an ancient personal name of obscure Irish origin. In Ireland, the name is predominantly found in Ulster, where it is particularly numerous in the three north-eastern counties. The original homeland of MacCuindlis appears to have been county Down, but Mac Cuindlis was also the name of a literary family in Connacht who had a share in compiling the Book of Lecan, which dates back to the eight and ninth centuries. The name was also recorded by the Annalists of Loch Te and by the Four Masters, and can be found in Annals dating back to 1342. When found in Scotland, MacCuindlis can be traced back to the ancient Dal Riada Kingdom, which extended from the north-eastern coast of Ireland to the west coast of Scotland. In these days, there was constant cultural exchange and intermarriage between both countries, with the result that many old Irish surnames were established in Scotland at an early date. Later, at the time of the Ulster Plantation in the mid-seventeenth century, Scottish settlers may have re-established the name in northern parts of Ireland ----------------------------- But I see this here; http://www.goireland.com/genealogy/scripts/Family.asp?FamilyID=481 MacCANDLESS Numerous in the three north-eastern counties of Ulster. The Gaelic-Irish form of it is Mac Cuindlis. It is mainly located in Co. Down where the variants MacAndless and MacAnliss are also found. Patrick Traynor. tray@lanset.com