KERRIGAN

Origin and etymology In historic texts In the 1881 census Distribution map

Kerrigan

Kerrigan is a Scottish and Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Ciaragáin". The name is thought to mean "descendant of Ciaragán", with "Ciaragán" possibly coming from the Gaelic word "ciar", meaning dark or dusky.

Origins and History

The Kerrigan surname has been recorded in both Scotland and Ireland, with variations in spelling such as Karrigan and O'Kerrigan. The name is most commonly found in the counties of Donegal and Tyrone in Ireland, as well as in regions of Scotland with historical Gaelic-speaking populations.

Notable Individuals

Notable individuals with the Kerrigan surname include:

Nancy Kerrigan, an American figure skater who won a silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
Monica Kerrigan, an Australian actress known for her roles in theatre and television.
Michael Kerrigan, a British historian and author specialising in medieval history.

Variants

Variants of the Kerrigan surname include Karrigan, O'Kerrigan, and MacCarrigan.

References

Hanks, P., Coates, R., & McClure, P. (2016). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press.
Reaney, P. H., & Wilson, R. M. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press.

There are approximately 3,820 people named Kerrigan in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,440th most common surname in Britain. Around 59 in a million people in Britain are named Kerrigan.

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Ireland

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Gaelic

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

David
James
John
Mark
Martin
Michael
Paul
Robert
Thomas
William

Female

Ann
Anne
Eileen
Elizabeth
Emma
Helen
Jacqueline
Kathleen
Margaret
Mary
Patricia
Sandra
Sarah

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.