Origin of the Name Skillen
The origin of the name
Skillen was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives.
Over the centuries Surnames developed a wide number of variants. Different spellings of the same name can be traced back to an original root. Additionally when a bearer of a name emigrated it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books at their new location. Surnames were also often altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another.
Variants of the name Skillen
include Skilling, Skillin, Scillin, Scullion, Scullin, Scallan and Scully. These names can be of both Anglo and Gaelic origin with those of Irish descent being derived from the Gaelic O'Scolaidhe Sept that was originally located in County Westmeath. As early as the twelfth century they were driven by Anglo-Norman pressure to County Tipperary and may be regarded as belonging to Munster. Birth statistics place them chiefly in County Cork in modern times. When of Anglo origin the name is derived from Skilling and Skillings where the name is of Norse-Viking descent. From England the name spread to Scotland and then over to Ireland and especially to County Down in Ulster where it still to be found in modern times.
The Skillen coat of arms came into existence centuries ago. The process of creating coats of arms (also often called family crests) began in the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this. The new art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own coat of arms, including all Skillen descendants.