[Surname] Re: don't know the ethnic back ground
by Jim Young (guest)
8/15/2006, 3:22 AM
If this is Scottish it may be a descendant of Glendinning, which has become (inter alia) Clendennen in Northern Ireland. That name comes from a Dumfriesshire place-name which may mean "valley of the white fortress", Brythonic glyn + din + gwyn.
Less likely, it could be from the rare Irish surname Clandillon. This appears to be another version of a name which gave English speakers problems, being found as Kendillon, Kindellan, Quinlevan, Quinlan, etc.