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Irish surname

Kerrigan: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Ciaragáin · 'descendant of Ciaragán' (diminutive of ciar, black)

Woulfe (1923) gives Kerrigan as an anglicised form of Ó Ciaragáin, 'descendant of Ciaragán', from ciar, black. He calls it the name of a branch of the Ui Fiachrach once seated at Ballykerrigan, in the parish of Balla, Co. Mayo. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 41 entries including spelling varieties (37 spelled Kerrigan), principally in Mayo and Donegal.

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Coat of arms associated with the Kerrigan surname
Irish formÓ Ciaragáin
Meaning'descendant of Ciaragán' (diminutive of ciar, black)
CountiesMayo, Donegal, Tyrone, Galway
Other spellings6
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Kerrigan crest gifts

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Origin of the Kerrigan name

Woulfe: Ó Ciaragáin was 'the name of a branch of the Ui Fiachrach, formerly seated at Baile Ui Chiaragain, now anglicised Ballykerrigan, in the parish of Balla, Co. Mayo.' Before the end of the 16th century the name had ramified into Donegal and Tyrone.[1]

  1. 16th centuryBefore its end, the name had ramified into Donegal and Tyrone.[1]
  2. 189041 birth entries incl. spelling varieties (37 Kerrigan); chiefly Mayo and Donegal.[3][4]

Where in Ireland

Co. MayoSeat at Ballykerrigan, parish of Balla; first county named for Kerrigan births in 1890.[1][3]
Co. DonegalRamified into Donegal before the end of the 16th century; a principal Kerrigan county in 1890.[1][3]
Co. TyroneWoulfe: the name had ramified into Tyrone before the end of the 16th century.[1]
Co. GalwayWoulfe: in north Co. Galway the name is often 'translated' Comber and Comer.[1]

Other spellings

Kerigan · Kergan · O Kierregain · O Kerigane · Comber (by 'translation', Woulfe) · Comer (by 'translation', Woulfe)[1][5]

The Kerrigan coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Kerrigan 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.

Kerrigan surname: questions

What does the surname Kerrigan mean?

Woulfe gives Kerrigan as a form of Ó Ciaragáin, 'descendant of Ciaragán', a diminutive of ciar, 'black'.[1]

Where in Ireland is the Kerrigan name from?

Woulfe says the Ó Ciaragáin family were a branch of the Ui Fiachrach, formerly seated at Ballykerrigan in the parish of Balla, Co. Mayo, and that before the end of the 16th century the name had spread into Donegal and Tyrone. In 1890 Kerrigan births were principally found in Mayo and Donegal.[1][3]

Is Comer or Comber the same name as Kerrigan?

Woulfe says that in the north of Co. Galway Ó Ciaragáin is often 'translated' Comber and Comer, 'from its supposed connection with cior, a comb'. Matheson's 1901 list of surname varieties also prints Comber and Comer under Kerrigan.[1][5]

Is MacKerrigan the same name?

Woulfe lists MacKerrigan separately, under Mac Ciaragáin, 'son of Ciaragán', and calls it 'very rare'.[2]

Sources

  1. Ó Ciaragáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-ciaragain.php
  2. Mac Ciaragáin — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/macc/mac-ciaragain.php
  3. Kerrigan — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/kerrigan.php
  4. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  5. Kerrigan (1003) — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1003.php

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