Surname Kerrie - Meaning and Origin
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Kerrie: What does the surname Kerrie mean?
The surname Kerrie is of Scottish, Irish and English origin. It could have originated as a habitational name from any of various minor places named with the Old English pre-7th century elements “cyric” or “cyrric” meaning church, or a derived form of the Old Norse “kirkja” meaning church. It is believed to have first appeared in medieval Scotland and England when land owners and the nobility called their estates and manors after the local church. This name was then also adopted as a surname by those families.
The spelling of the name has changed over time, with Kerrie being derived from the Old English personal name Kieri, which itself is a short form of longer names beginning with the element “cyrric”. This name can also be found in a variety of different spellings including Kerrey, Kearie, and Kery.
The name is an occupational one, possibly referred to a person who worked in a church. Today, Kerrie is an uncommon but still used surname throughout Scottish and English speaking countries.
Order DNA origin analysisKerrie: Where does the name Kerrie come from?
Kerrie is a surname of Irish origin. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic personal name "Ó Ciarrai," meaning descendant of Ciarrai. Today, the name Kerrie is common primarily in areas of the British Isles and Ireland. The prevalence could be attributed to Irish emigration during past centuries.
The name Kerrie can also be found in some regions of the United States and Canada. It is especially popular in New York, Massachusetts, Ontario, Michigan, and Ohio. Smaller populations have been recorded in a few other states, including Arizona, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The name Kerrie continues to be a prominent surname in many parts of Ireland and the UK. It is estimated that there are currently over 27,000 people in the UK alone who bear the name. The name is quite popular in Glasgow, with over 1,000 families bearing the name.
The meaning of the surname has shifted over time, and it is currently sometimes used as a first name. It has been used as a given name in the United States since the late 20th century. Today, many families of Irish descent proudly carry the surname Kerrie, proud to be descended from this ancient Irish surname.
Variations of the surname Kerrie
The surname Kerrie most likely originates from the Gaelic or Irish name O'Ciarrai, which is derived from the word ciar, meaning black. Variants of the surname can include Karry, Kerrey, Kerri, Kerry, Carry, and Cari. Spellings of the surname in some regions may be slightly different, such as Kari, Carri, Kery, Kerye, or Kerrye.
Distinct from the Irish origin of the surname, Kerrie is also a Dutch surname derived from the German name Kreuze. Variants of this surname can include Krie, Kriese, Krikel, Krijte, Krei, Kreisch, Kreis, Kreke, and Krow. All of these names are spellings or variants of the same origin.
Overall, the surnames stemming from the Gaelic origin are more commonly used and more widely known. Kerrie and its variants have been quite prominent in Ferris, and the name has spread across the world, with at least fifty-six Kerries living in the United States and Canada alone.
In addition, many Americans with the surname Kerrie have roots in Ireland, Scotland, and England. Some with the surname may also have distant ancestral ties to France and Germany, likely through the Dutch origin of the surname. All surnames, variants, and spellings of the same origin are derived from the Gaelic or Irish name O'Ciarrai, and from the Dutch and Germanic name Kreuze.
Famous people with the name Kerrie
- Kerrie Sheehan, Australian women's soccer goalkeeper
- Kerrie Roberts, Contemporary Christian music singer
- Kerrie O’Malley, American actress and singer
- Kerrie Rozanski, American television news anchor
- Kerrie Lane, author and television producer
- Kerrie Carisse, Canadian singer
- Kerrie Allman, Canadian-British author
- Kerrie Evans, British actress
- Kerrie Donovan, Australian actress
- Kerrie Dubois, American model
- Kerrie Mitchell, American female bodybuilder
- Kerrie O'Sullivan, American blogger and podcast host
- Kerrie Stanley, English TV presenter
- Kerrie McNally, Canadian figure skater
- Kerrie-Anne Kennerley, Australian television personality
- Kerrie Von Staden, South African sculptor
- Kerrie Cains, British music producer
- Kerrie Finch, British artist