Surname Carragher - Meaning and Origin
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Carragher: What does the surname Carragher mean?
The surname Carragher is derived from the Old Irish language and is thought to have originated in County Donegal in the north of Ireland. The Carragher surname would have been adopted by an ancestor who was a descendant of Carraig, an old Irish word meaning 'rocky place'.
The name has become increasingly popular throughout the world, with bearers originating from Ireland, England, the US and Australia. It is believed that the name was adopted on emigration, as many Irish people adopted their own 'anglicised' surnames to blend in and adapt in their new countries.
The name is still popular today, and is often used as both a given name and a surname. It is often seen as an expression of the strong ties the Carragher family have to their Irish heritage.
Today, the Carragher family is widely recognised for their great loyalty and devotion to their community. They are renowned for their belief in standing up for those in need, their resilience and strong sense of justice. The name symbolises strength and represents the close sense of kinship shared by the Carragher family.
Order DNA origin analysisCarragher: Where does the name Carragher come from?
The last name Carragher is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. The name can also be found in Australia, Canada, and the United States.
The origin of the name Carragher is disputed, as there are a few different theories on the roots of the name. One potential origin of the name is from Old Irish Mac Carragáin, meaning "son of Carragán," a name derived from the Gaelic carraig meaning "rock." Historically, this could refer to a place named Carrerragh or a person who lived near such a place.
Another likely source of the name is from the name Carrach, which has similar origins to Carragher. It is believed that, in time, the spelling of the name changed as people moved from Northern Ireland and Scotland to other places, including the United States and Canada.
In more recent times, the name Carragher is still very common in the British Isles. However, its popularity has spread to other parts of the world, especially the United States. In the U.S., there are more than 17,000 people with the last name Carragher. Additionally, less than 150 people have this last name in Canada.
Overall, the last name Carragher is still very popular today, particularly in the United Kingdom but also in other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada.
Variations of the surname Carragher
The surname Carragher is an Irish surname tracing its origins back toboth County Galway and County Mayo. The name is derived from the Gaelic name ‘Ó Carragáin’, which translates as ‘descendant of Carragán’. Variations of this surname include O'Carragher, Carrahane and Caroing.
In some regions, the name has been anglicised to Carigher, Carrer and Carrigher. Carruher is another form of the surname which can be found in the west of Ireland. Other variations which can commonly be found include Caracker, Carrah, Carrahan and Carraher.
Variations of the name which may be found in Scotland are Carreghar, Carreghor, Carugar and Carron. In the early 19th century, some English spelling variations like Cagher, Cager, Caher and Carger were common.
In America, the variant surnames Karragher and Karagher are often encountered, and in the UK, Carragher and Carreghar are the most popular variations. Some alternative spellings of the name have been found in other countries, such as Cagour in France and Caragero in Spain.
Ultimately, there are many variations of the Carragher surname, but all of them can still be traced back to the same Irish origins.
Famous people with the name Carragher
- Jamie Carragher: A former Liverpool and England footballer. He became a pundit for Sky Sports after retiring and gained a reputation as one of the sharpest pundits on television.
- Kenny Carragher: A sidecar racer who competed in the British Championship, and is currently the reigning World Champion.
- Peter Carragher: An Irish professional boxer who is a three-time Irish middleweight champion.
- Connor Carragher: An English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation events.
- Rocky Carragher: An American professional mixed martial artist who has competed in Bellator.
- Bill Carragher: An Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1960s and '70s.
- Martha Carragher: A former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, and also held various posts in the Canadian diplomatic service.
- Chris Carragher: An American actor, producer, and screenwriter.
- Taylor Carragher: A former English cricketer who represented Lancashire in English county cricket at the start of her career.
- George Carragher: An Irish professional footballer who most recently played for Donegal Town in the League of Ireland.