Surname O'Carriel - Meaning and Origin
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O'Carriel: What does the surname O'Carriel mean?
The surname O'Carriel originated from the ancient Irish Gaelic name O'Cathmhuirail, which is composed of two distinct words - “O’,” a particle used to denote “son of,” and "Cathmhuirail,” which roughly translates to mean “of a charter.” It is believed that the name was originally given to a family whose ancestors held the title of maire, meaning a lord or chieftain, from pre-Norman times.
Since then, the surname has changed in many different ways, such as Carany, Yarran, O’Carany, and O’Curan, before becoming what it is today – O’Carriel.
The O’Carriel family is believed to have traces of a long-standing and proud Irish legacy. It is thought to have started in County Donegal, in the northwest of Ireland, and from there spread out across Ireland, as well as branching out into other countries around the world.
The family could also be linked to other ancient Irish clans such as the O’Tooles, O’Kellys and O’Connors as they all share the common roots of having an ancient Irish Gaelic language background.
The most prominent bearer of the name O'Carriel was John Joseph O'Carriel, a Irish patriot and soldier who died fighting for Irish freedom in the 1916 Easter Rising. His name is still remembered in his homeland for his bravery and idealism, continuing the legacy of the O'Carriel family.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Carriel: Where does the name O'Carriel come from?
The last name O'Carriel is of Irish origin and is most common today in the Republic of Ireland. Ireland has long been an important center of Gaelic history, and the surname O'Carriel is derived from the Irish O'Carroll, which was the name of a powerful family in the medieval province of Leinster. This name was mostly found around the Irish Midlands, particularly in Counties Tipperary and Kilkenny. It is also found in some counties in Ireland's southern region, such as Cork, Waterford, and Kerry.
Today, the last name O'Carriel is still most common in Ireland, where it ranks as the 423rd most popular name. U.S. Census Bureau statistics from the 2020 report show that O'Carriel is the 6,461st most popular last name in the United States, indicating that it is still relatively rare. However, a few hundred families bearing the surname are scattered around the U.S., with states such as New Jersey, Arizona, Kansas, and Ohio having the greatest number of residents with the last name.
In recent years, interest in Irish culture and surnames has grown, especially among Irish diasporic communities, and the name O'Carriel is one of many that is gaining renewed popularity. With the rise of social media, more and more O'Carriels in the United States are connecting with one another and forming online networks to celebrate their family name.
Variations of the surname O'Carriel
The surname O’Carriel is of Irish origin and, like many other Irish surnames, has many variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin. These are typically the result of phonetic or transcriptional errors throughout generations and centuries of record keeping.
The most common variants of O’Carriel include O’Carryl, O’Carrol, O’Carroll, O’Corriel, O’Corrol, O’Corroll, O’Curriel, O’Currol, and O’Curroll. It is pronounced “Oh Kor-rel” and its anglicized spelling is Carroll. O’Carriel is derived from the old Gaelic phrase “O’Ciardha” meaning “caring, loving”.
Other surnames of similar origin include Corbeel (or Corbeil), Currell, Korrell, O’Kerrill, O’Koriell, O’Koriell, O’Korile, O’Korteel, O’Korrell, O’Korrol, O’Korroll, O’Kuriel, O’Kurrel, O'Kurrill, O’Quarrel, O’Quarrell, Quarrel, Quarrell, Qurell, Qurel, and Qorrol.
Whilst the variants, spellings and surnames of similar origin are plentiful, they all share a common origin; the Irish surname O’Carriel.
Famous people with the name O'Carriel
- Bernardo O'Carriel, Peruvian military and politician
- Orlando O'Carriel, former Peruvian professional footballer
- Carlos O'Carriel, Venezuelan composer
- Andres O'Carriel, Uruguayan footballer known for his tenure with Liverpool F.C. Montevideo (now called Club Atlético Peñarol)
- Flavio O'Carriel, Argentine lawyer and politician
- José O'Carriel, Argentine professional boxer
- Fausto O'Carriel, Argentine former footballer
- Peter O'Carriel, Irish Gaelic footballer
- Noel O'Carriel, Irish former:- basketball player
- Jane O'Carriel, American writer
- John O'Carriel, American character actor