Carey (surname)

Carey, Cary or Carrey is a surname that has four distinct geographical origins, in order of numeracy: Ireland, the English West Country, Wales and France.

The surname arises from nine recorded distinct patronymics in Ireland, and is numerous and widespread;[1] the many original forms have been listed by the National Folklore Collection of Ireland in 2015,[2] increasing the number of variants quoted by the Registrar General of Ireland in 1890.[3] Some forms contain the Old Irish adjective 'ciar'- 'black/dark', of which Ó Ciardha (County Kildare, County Westmeath & 'many parts of the south of Ireland'),[4] Ó Ciaráin (County Cork), Ó Céirín,[4] (County Kerry, County Clare, County Mayo), Ó Cearáin (County Mayo), Mac Giolla Céire (County Cork, County Kilkenny), Ó Ciarmhacháin (County Cork)[5][6] and Ó Ciarmhaic in some parts of Munster;[7] also from the County Galway and County Meath surname Mac Fhiachra, through its early phonetic anglicisations of Keighry, Kehery & c.;[8][9] and from Ó Carráin/Ó Corráin (County Tipperary), with the Irish root 'carra/corra'- 'spear';[10] and MacFhearadhaigh (MacCarry/MacCary), root 'fear'-'man', of County Antrim.[5][11]

It may derive from the English West Country, viz. Castle Cary on the River Cary in Somerset and/or Carey Barton on the River Carey in Devon, containing either the Pre-Celtic element 'kar'- 'stony/hard' (Watts, 2004),[12] or the Celtic language element 'car' 'dear/pleasant' (Hanks, 2003).[9]

Carew, Pembrokeshire, from Welsh language 'Caeriw'- with the Celtic root 'caer'- 'fort', or from places in Cornwall, perhaps with the cognate Cornish element 'ker',[13] or the Pre-Celtic element 'car'- 'stony/stones' as in Carey Tor, Bodmin Moor.[14]

Carey occurs as a variant of (de) Carrey in archives in Normandy, Burgundy, Franche-Comté etc., in France[15][16] from habitational names, possibly with the Pre-Celtic element 'car'-'stony/stones'.[17] The Norman name is probably the origin of the surname in Guernsey, Channel Islands.[13]

  1. ^ Edward MacLysaght, 'Surnames of Ireland', Irish Academic Press, Dublin 1985, 'Irish Families', I.A.P. 1985 & c. P. Woulfde, 'Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gaii', Dublin, 1923 online at Foras na Gaeilge, official Irish language org online at http://www.sloinne.ie/?q=Carey
  2. ^ National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin, 2015, online at http://www.duchas.ie/en/nom?txt=Carey
  3. ^ R.E. Matheson, Preface to 'Varieties and Synonyms of Surnames & Christian Names in Ireland', Dublin, 1901
  4. ^ a b Woulfe P., 'Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall' or 'Irish Names and Surnames', Dublin, 1923 online at http://www.libraryireland.com
  5. ^ a b Woulfe, Op. Cit.
  6. ^ Dr Edward MacLysaght, 'Irish Families', Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985. & E. MacLysaght, 'More Irish Families', IAP, Dublin, 1982
  7. ^ "dúchas.ie | Irish Surname Index » Ciarmhaic". Archived from the original on 26 September 2015.
  8. ^ E. MacLysaght, 'More Irish Families', IAP, Dublin, 1982
  9. ^ a b "Carey Name Meaning & Carey Family History at Ancestry.com". Ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2015. from Hanks P. 'Dictionary of American Family Names' (O.U.P.) 2003
  10. ^ R.E. Matheson, Preface to 'Varieties and Synonyms of Surnames & Christian Names in Ireland, Dublin, 1901; Woulfe Op. Cit.
  11. ^ "1641 Depositions". 1641.tcd.ie. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  12. ^ Victor Watts, 'Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names', Cambridge University Press, 2004
  13. ^ a b Hanks P,. 'Dictionary of American Family Names', Oxford, 2003
  14. ^ "A glossary of Cornish names, ancient and modern, local, family, personal, &c.: 20,000 Celtic and other names, now or formerly in use in Cornwall". 20 March 1871. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Carey : Généalogie Carey, Origine du nom Carey, Nom de famille Carey". Geneanet.org. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  16. ^ "FranceGenWeb-Cousins : Recherches d'un patronyme en France". Francegenweb.org. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  17. ^ Dr Jean-Pierre Dickes, 'Les Noms de Famille en Boulonais, Calaisis et Pays de Montreuil', Boulogne-sur-Mer, 1986, page 79