Surname Kerin - Meaning and Origin
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Kerin: What does the surname Kerin mean?
Kerin is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "O Ciardhubhain" which in English translates to "descendant of Ciardhubhain". The first instance of the surname was recorded in the 12th century when the chief of the O Ciardhubhain Clan married an O Conchobhair princess. This was an important event in Irish history and laid the foundations for the formation of the O Ciardhubhain sept, later known as Kerin.
The literal meaning of the name is “dark brown” which likely refers to its Gaelic origin. This surname has been quite common in the regions of Galway, Cork, and Clare. There are still many towns bearing the name Kerin in these areas.
Kerin is also thought to be the Anglicized version of the Scottish surname "Kerrin" or "Kerwin" which had similar origins. It is likely that much of the family history related to the surname is shared across these similar surnames.
Regardless of the name's origin, this name has been formally used since at least the 12th century and is a testament to the long history held by the Irish people.
Order DNA origin analysisKerin: Where does the name Kerin come from?
The surname Kerin is most commonly found in areas with Irish heritage. This includes the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Within these countries, the surname Kerin may be most common in the North East of the United States, as well as certain provinces of Canada, such as Ontario, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia.
The name Kerin is an anglicised version of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Ciardhubháin which is pronounced ‘Oh KEE-ar-hu-awn’. It first appeared with the spelling O’Kerin, which was the most common spelling of the surname up until the late 19th century.
The name was adopted by many of those who emigrated from Ireland during the 19th century potato famine. These emigrants predominately moved to the United States and the United Kingdom, settling in the North East of the US and the East of England. The population of individuals with the name Kerin substantially increased in these areas and continues to remain a common surname within these regions.
Since the 19th century, the name has continued to spread to other parts of the world due to increased migration. Many of the Irish diaspora now reside in countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa and have brought the name Kerin with them.
Overall, the surname Kerin is found throughout Irish and Irish diaspora communities and is most common in the North East of the US, East of England, and Canada. This is due to the increased emigration of individuals with the surname in the 19th century.
Variations of the surname Kerin
Kerin is an Irish surname and likely originates from the Gaelic surname Ó Ciaráin meaning "descendant of Ciarán". Variants of the family name Kerin include Kearin, Kearon, Keerin, Keeron, Cearin, Cearon, Cerin, Ceron, O'Carin, O'Caron and O'Kerin. It can also be split into two distinct spellings: O'Kearin (without the second "r") and O'Kerin.
The most common variants of the Kerin surname are O'Kearin and O'Kerin, although members of the same family may use different spellings because of spelling variations due to regional dialect. Some of the other variants may also appear in different countries, such as O’Carin commonly found in the United States and Caron found in France.
It is important to note that surnames can change over time. An example of this is when a family with the surname Kerin immigrated to England, the “O'” may have been dropped and the surname changed to Kerin. It is also not uncommon for different branches of the family to take on different spellings or variants of the surname, such as Kerin and Cearon.
While the surname is commonly found in Ireland, due to migration over the centuries, it has spread to many other countries across the world, including the United States and other parts of Europe. As a result, the Kerin surname can be found in many countries, with varying spellings and variants.
Famous people with the name Kerin
- John Kerin: Former Australian politician and diplomat, Treasurer of Australia from 1990-1991.
- Raymond Francis Kerin: Australian business theorist and professor of marketing.
- Caitlyn Kerin: Canadian actress and producer.
- Tom Kerin: American pop-country musician.
- Matthew Kerin: Australian journalist and news anchor.
- Bill Kerin: American track and field athlete.
- Emma Kerin: Irish singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist.
- William F. Kerin: American Brigadier General in the US Air Force.
- Seán Kerin: Irish rugby player.
- Emma Kerin: British makeup artist and beauty enthusiast.