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Kerr |  |
The Surnames of Ireland by Edward MacLysaght states:
(pg 177) Kerr "A very numerous name in Ulster usually of Scottish origin;also a synonym of Carr, and in Donegal of Kerin. App; MIF"
More Irish Families by Edward MacLysaght states:
(pg 50-51)(O) CARR, Kerr (O) KERRANE (Mac)
CARY (O) CARRY MacILHAIR MULCAIR, Wilhair Nine synonyms of Carr
were roported to the Registrar-general by local registration
officers. First there is the obvious Kerr. This equation was
noted in the Coleraine and Lisburn districts and its spelling
variants Ker and Karr in Co. Down. Kerr is a very common name in
north-east Ulster...Kerr is among the forty most numerous
surnames in Scotland and the majority of the Irish Kerrs of today
are of Scottish origin. Isolated cases occur in Munster even as
early as 1375: in that year Richard Kerr was a collector of taxes
in Co. Tipperary.
The second synonym to be noticed is Kerrane(also Kirrane). The
birth registrations for these combined were 15-13 in Co. Mayo and
two in Co. Galway. The synonymous use of Carr did not occur in
Mayo but in Counties Galway and around Loughglynn and French-park,
Co. Roscommon. In the parish of Ballymacward he has in his own
lifetime observed the gradual change from Kerrane to Carr. While
this is clerly the origin of some of the Carrs of Connacht we
must not overlook the fact that the name O'Carr was found in
Connacht in the sixteenth century before the pressure of
anglicization, which converted Kerrane into Carr, was noticeble.
The Fiants and the Composition Book of Connacht prove that they
were then numerous and not unimportant in that province, chiefly
in Co. Sligo but even down to the borders of Clare. O'Dugan in
the Topographical Poem mentions the sept of O'Carthaigh of
Clancahill, for whic O'Donovan gives O'Carthy as the anglicized
equivalent, adding that the name was the (1862) unknown there: I
think it mmore likely that it had by that time become Carr, and
this view is supported by the fact that in the Fiants for the
counties in question the name is spelt O'Carhy as well as O'Carre.
In the Fiants we also find, in Co. Armagh, O'Care and O'Carr -
which are indistiguishable in their anglicized form from the
Connacht name dealt with above. This is the sept of Ó Cairre.
The Annals of Loch Cé note under 1095 the death of Muirchertach
Ua Cairre, "steward of Cenél Aengusa and royal heir of
Oilech" (i.e. on of a number of eligibles for the kingship
of Ulster). Donal O'Cairre was one of the Ulster chiefs killed at
the battle of Downpatrick in 1260; and seventeenth century
records such as the Harth Money Rolls and Petty's "census,"
record he name O'Carr as numerous in Oriel. It is manifest,
therefore, that while most Kerrs are British, a great many of the
Ulster Carrs are, like those of Connacht, of Gaelic-Irish origin.
Having regard to the forms of these names in Irish it is
inevitable that confusion has arisen between Carr and Carry,
epecially as the latter also belongs to Oriel, not only as Ó
Cairre but as a Mac name too. Mac Carry occurs in the 1664 Hearth
Money Rolls for Co. Armagh and the census of approximately the
same date found MacCarry (bracketed with MacCarey) one of the
most numerous names in the barony of Moycashel, Co. Westmeath,
and at the same time Carr was similarly recorded for Duleek, Co.
Meath. Woulfe gives two Irish surnamsfor MacCarry viz. Mac an
Charraigh and Mac Fhearadaigh, while modern synonyms of MacCarry
recorded by Matheson are MacGarry, MacHary, Maharry, Magarry etc.
Reverting to synonyms of Carr we come now to MacElhar, MacIlhair
and Wilhair, all from Co. Donegal. The two former are Mac Giolla
Charhaoir (from St. Cathaoir) also anglicized Kilcar (r) in Co.
Donegal. Wilhair, however, is generally given the Irish form Mac
Giolla Cheara.
Finally as further examples of the complexity of this subject I
may mention that among the gentlemen of the barony of Ballagheen
on the grand panel of Co. Wexford in 1608 was Edmond MacCarr of
Tomduff; and finally Woulfe state stat de Cathair (i.e. of Cahir,
a place-name) anglicized Carr is found in many parts of Ireland.
They are not very prominent in the political or cultural history
of the country. Rev. George Whitmore Carr (1779-1849), pioneer in
the cause of temperance, was a remarkable character who served in
the Yeomenry in 1798 and later gave vigorous support to Father
Mathew and Daniel O'Connell. In recent times Dr. Thomas Joseph
Carr (1840-1917), Archbishop of Melbourne, formerly Bishop of
Galway, and perhaps I may add Joseph Carr, and outstanding
champion amateur golfer, are well known names."
Clan s and Families of Ireland by John Grenham states:
(Pgs 129-130) KERR
"kerr is Scottish and northern English in origin, describing
a person who lived near overgrown marshland, kerr in
northern Middle English. As might be expected, it is principally
found in Ulster, where the majority of those bearing the name are
descended from one of the Scottish Border riding clans, whose
enforced migration in the seventeenth century also brought large
numbers of Armstrongs, Johnstones and others to the province,
where they settled, initially at least in Co. Fermanagh. A
separate Scottish family of the name is part of the Clan Campbell
in Argyllshire. As well as these Scottish origins, however, Kerr
(along with Carr) was used as the anglicisation of a number of
native Ulster names, including Mac Giolla Chathair and Mac
Ciaráin (Kerin) in Donegal, Ó Cairre and Mac
Cairre in Co. Armagh, and Mac Gilla Cheara in Co.
Monaghan.
My Kerr ancestor is Elizabeth Kerr, click to see what I know.
If you know something more please email me at aeval4@hotmail.com
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Images found at Clan Kerr
