McCarthy - Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac Cárthaigh
Meaning: “loving”
Traditional stronghold: Cork, Kerry
Pronunciation: muh-KAR-thee; Irish Mac Carthaigh: mok KAR-hee
History of the McCarthy name
The McCarthys were the ruling dynasty of Desmond in south Munster, descended from the Eoghanacht kings of Cashel, and after losing the kingship of Munster to the O'Briens in the 12th century they consolidated power across Cork and Kerry, splitting into branches such as McCarthy Mor, McCarthy Reagh and McCarthy of Muskerry. They remained one of the most powerful Gaelic families into the 17th century, holding castles including Blarney and Kanturk. Their long dominance of Cork and Kerry made McCarthy one of the most numerous surnames in Munster, and it remains particularly associated with those two counties.
Variants: MacCarthy · Carty · Carthy
Famous bearers of the name
- Justin McCarthy - 19th-century Irish nationalist politician, journalist and historian
- Cormac McCarthy - American novelist of Irish descent, author of Blood Meridian
- Niall McCarthy - Cork hurling captain who died shortly before the 1993 All-Ireland final
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Murphy · O'Sullivan · O'Connor · Daly · O'Connell · Collins · Fitzgerald · Flynn