O'Cullen Name Meaning, Origin and Heraldry

The spelling O'Cullen grew out of Cullen, an Irish surname with a long paper trail. The family name meaning is “Descendant of Cuileann ("holly")”, the same as for Cullen. The O' in front of the name is a particle that was often added to Cullen in records. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them.

The same family of names includes McCullen and Cullane.

Looking for a O'Cullen coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Get the complete O'Cullen report, with a museum-style coat of arms.