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Irish surname

Corcoran: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Corcráin; Mac Corcráin · 'descendant of Corcrán' (Ó Corcráin) or 'son of Corcrán' (Mac Corcráin); Corcrán is a diminutive of corcair, purple

Woulfe (1923) gives Corcoran as the anglicised form of Ó Corcráin, 'descendant of Corcrán' (from corcair, purple), an ecclesiastical, literary and bardic family found in many parts of Ireland, and of Mac Corcráin, whose head was chief of Clann Ruainne in Ely O'Carroll. In 1890 Corcoran births were found principally in Mayo, Cork, Tipperary, Dublin and Kerry.

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Coat of arms associated with the Corcoran surname
Irish formÓ Corcráin; Mac Corcráin
Meaning'descendant of Corcrán' (Ó Corcráin) or 'son of Corcrán' (Mac Corcráin); Corcrán is a diminutive of corcair, purple
CountiesMayo, Cork, Tipperary, Dublin
Other spellings3

Origin of the Corcoran name

Ó Corcráin: 'an ecclesiastical, literary and bardic family in many parts of Ireland'. Mac Corcráin: the head of this family was chief of Clann Ruainne in Ely O'Carroll. Woulfe also prints '(Corcoran)', in brackets, under Ó Corcáin, 'a rare midland surname'.[1][2][3]

  1. End of the 16th centuryÓ Corcráin 'largely represented in every province'.[1]
  2. 1827Michael Corcoran born at Carrowkeel, Co. Sligo, 21 September.[5]
  3. 1849Michael Corcoran emigrates to the United States.[5]
  4. 1861Corcoran takes the field with the 69th New York in April; later wounded and captured at Bull Run.[5]
  5. 1863Corcoran dies near Fairfax Courthouse, Virginia, 22 December.[5]
  6. 1890132 Corcoran births registered (incl. varieties), chiefly Mayo, Cork, Tipperary, Dublin, Kerry.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoFirst county Matheson names for Corcoran births in 1890.[4]
Co. CorkAmong the counties where Corcoran was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. TipperaryAmong the counties where Corcoran was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. DublinAmong the counties where Corcoran was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. KerryAmong the counties where Corcoran was principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. SligoBirthplace (Carrowkeel) of Brigadier-General Michael Corcoran, 1827.[5]

Notable people named Corcoran

Michael Corcoran1827–1863Born in Co. Sligo; Colonel of the 69th New York, then Brigadier-General, U.S.A.; recruited an Irish legion.[5]

Other spellings

Corkran · Corkeran · O Corcrane[1][2]

The Corcoran coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Corcoran surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Corcoran crest gifts

Clan Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapPQ21 Classic Cap - Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Corcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapPH37 Classic Cap - Corcoran Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Corcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap GL42 Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Ocorcoran Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45

Corcoran surname: questions

What does the surname Corcoran mean?

Woulfe gives Ó Corcráin, 'descendant of Corcrán', and Mac Corcráin, 'son of Corcrán'. Corcrán is a diminutive of corcair, purple.[1][2]

Is Corcoran an Irish name?

Yes. Woulfe gives it as the anglicised form of the Irish Ó Corcráin, an ecclesiastical, literary and bardic family, and of Mac Corcráin of Ely O'Carroll.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Corcoran name from?

Woulfe says that at the end of the 16th century Ó Corcráin was largely represented in every province and, in the southern half of Ireland, almost in every county. In 1890 Corcoran births were found principally in Mayo, Cork, Tipperary, Dublin and Kerry.[1][4]

Who was General Michael Corcoran?

Born at Carrowkeel, Co. Sligo, in 1827, he emigrated in 1849, commanded the 69th New York at Bull Run, where he was wounded and captured, became a Brigadier-General and died in Virginia in December 1863.[5]

Sources

  1. Ó Corcráin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-corcrain.php
  2. Mac Corcráin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-corcrain.php
  3. Ó Corcáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-corcain.php
  4. Corcoran — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/corcoran.php
  5. Michael Corcoran — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/MichaelCorcoran.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).