Carr — Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: O Carra / Mac Giolla Chathair
Meaning: 'descendant of Carra, or from Mac Giolla Chathair meaning son of the servant of Cathair'
Traditional stronghold: Louth, Mayo
Pronunciation: KAHR; Irish O Carra: oh KAR-uh
History of the Carr name
Carr in Ireland has multiple sources: it can anglicise O Carra, a sept found in County Mayo, or derive from Mac Giolla Chathair, shortened over time in Ulster border counties, as well as existing as a genuine English and Scottish settler surname meaning a dweller by a marsh or rock (from Old Norse kjarr). Because of these separate strands, modern Carr families in Ireland may descend from native Gaelic septs or from planter stock, particularly in Ulster border areas like Louth, Armagh and Monaghan. The name has been long established in both Connacht and Ulster, and its short, simple form has kept it in common use through to the present day.
Variants: Karr · Kerr · Carre
Famous bearers of the name
- Bunny Carr — Irish broadcaster and quiz show host
- Tom Carr — Irish police commissioner and later Garda Ombudsman head
- Marina Carr — acclaimed contemporary Irish playwright
- Ross Carr — Down Gaelic footballer
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Walsh · Burke · Moran · Higgins · Conway · Plunkett · Costello · Jennings