Surname Kiersey - Meaning and Origin
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Kiersey: What does the surname Kiersey mean?
The surname Kiersey is of Irish origin. It's derived from the Gaelic name "O'Ciaragain" which loosely translates to "descendant of Ciaragain". The prefix "O" indicates "grandson of" or "descendant of", while "Ciaragain" is a personal name meaning "little dark one", signifying a person with dark hair or a dark complexion. Hence, Kiersey could mean a descendant of a person with dark features. During times of British domination, Irish names were often anglicized for convenience, hence morphing "O'Ciaragain" to "Kiersey". It's important to note the diversity in the spelling of surnames due to regional accents and varied literacy levels; Kiersey may also be spelled as Kersey, Kiarsey, and so on. As a family name, Kiersey is found in many English-speaking countries, the largest population being in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisKiersey: Where does the name Kiersey come from?
The surname Kiersey is of Irish origin, specifically deriving from the Gaelic name "O'Ciaráin" or "O'Ceirin". The family was part of the Ossory tribes, based in the modern-day County Kilkenny and County Laois in Ireland. The surname was anglicized to Kiersey over time due to the gradual influence of English language and culture.
Today, descendants bearing the Kiersey surname are found throughout English-speaking countries such as the United States, Australia, UK, and Canada due to historical emigration patterns, particularly during the Irish Famine period. However, this surname remains primarily associated with Ireland, and particularly in the regions where the family originally hailed from. Despite its distribution, Kiersey is not a common surname.
Variations of the surname Kiersey
The surname Kiersey, predominantly found in Ireland, has a number of alternate spellings and variants. Some of these are Kersey, Kersee, Kerse, and Kersy. Kiersey may also possibly be a variant of the English surname Kearsley, found mostly in Lancashire. Other spellings for Kearsley include Kearseylegh, Kersley, and Kearsleye.
Furthermore, Kiersey could also be confused with the Irish surname Kearsey, with variations such as Kearseye, Kersey, Kearsy, and Kersye.
Interestingly, MacLysaght in 'The Surnames of Ireland' suggests both Kiersey and Kirsey are an Anglicisation of the rare Irish surname O’Ciaraisi. In this case variations can extend to include Ciaraisi and O'Kiersey.
Overall, the alternate spellings and variants for Kiersey are limited due to its relative rarity, both in Ireland and internationally. However, it's also worth considering the possibility of confusion with other similar sounding surnames, such as Percy, Kerby, or Hershey.
Remember, surname variants can occur over time due to different phonetic interpretations, regional dialect influences, or simple clerical errors. It's always ideal to trace back using various sources to confirm the lineage and origin.
Famous people with the name Kiersey
- Cody Kiersy—Actor known for his roles in Bright, That’s so Raven, and Descendants 2.
- Dionne Kiersy: Film and television music composer.
- Allen Kiersy: Actor known for his work in Moonlighting, Hunter, and The Jeffersons.
- Eliot Keirsey: Grammy-nominated film composer.
- Trey Kiersy: Film and television actor, known for roles in Coach Carter and 7th Heaven.
- Richard Kiersy: Producer, writer, and director known for Dateline NBC and Growing Up Brady.
- Janelle Kiersy: Actress and producer known for her roles in Shameless and Party Down.
- Jayd Kiersy: Cinematographer known for his work on the films Blackhat, Valkyrie, and the film events Fast and Furious 6 and Jurassic World.
- Karen Kiersy: Script supervisor and production assistant, known for her work on Limitless, War Dogs, and Wind River.
- Ernie Kiersy: Emmy-award-winning art director and production designer, known for his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.