Surname Carberry - Meaning and Origin

Carberry: What does the surname Carberry mean?

The surname Carberry is an Irish and Scottish surname originally derived from the Gaelic Mac Gearbhard, meaning "son of Gearbhard". Gearbhard itself is a personal name comprised of the elements "gearr", meaning "short", and "bhard", meaning "spear or javelin". It could therefore be interpreted to mean something like "the short spearman" or "spearman of shorter stature".

The name likely originated from a prominent warrior in Ireland and Scotland who was known for his diminutive size. The name is described as being of 12th century Gaelic origin, meaning that it has been in popular use for several centuries.

The Carberry family can trace their origins to Antrim, a town in Northern Ireland, where many of the family still live today. The Carberrys have a storied past in the area, with many of them having served in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and subsequent battles for Irish independence.

Today, the Carberry name can be found throughout the world, with the majority of the population living in the countries of Ireland, Scotland, and the United States. Those who bear the name can find themselves involved in all aspects of society, from politics and government to business and education.

Carberry: Where does the name Carberry come from?

The last name Carberry is most commonly found in the British Isles, particularly in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is also found in the United States and in other scattered areas around the world, including Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

The name can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Ireland, where it originated as a Gaelic name derived from the Irish words “carraig," meaning "rock," and “bheithir," meaning "thorn." In the 16th and 17th centuries, Carberry was a prominent Norman surname and became further established in the Ulster Plantation after many of these families were granted lands by the Crown.

Today, the Carberry name can be found in all parts of Ireland, as well as scattered throughout Britain. The surname is also common in all of the major cities of the United States, with most people of this name believed to have emigrated from Ireland during the great famine of the mid-1800s. Canada, Australia, and South Africa are also home to a small number of families and individuals bearing the Carberry last name, likely73 descendants of the original immigrants from Ireland.

Variations of the surname Carberry

The surname Carberry is of British and Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Cearbhaill, which was Anglicized over time as Carberry. The early origins and variant spellings of this surname were 'O' Carberry and O'Carberry, which could be found mainly in counties Cork and Limerick in Ireland.

Variants of the surname Carberry include Carbarrie, Carbary, Carbarys, Carbree, Carbrea, Carberrye, Carbery, Carby, K carberry, Carbery, Carbey, Carborie, Carbrey, Carbreis, Carbrey, Carbreyes, Carbreyes, Carbrues, Carbyrie, Kairberry, Kaerberry, Kairbreis, Karbery, Kerberry and Kerby.

Most of the variants are associated with Irish branches of the surname, though some have been recorded in Scotland and England. Other variations of the name, not linked to Ireland, include Kairbrea, Curraurray, Curravary, Curratury, Carravary, Carrobery, Carrberry, Corberry, Corbrazill, Curravery, Kerberery and Kurnbre.

Today, variants of the Carberry surname are found in most English-speaking countries, with many of them tracing their ancestry back to Ireland.

Famous people with the name Carberry

• Marcus Carberry: UK pop singer
• Fr. William Carberry: American Catholic priest and academic
• Siobhán Carberry: Irish sports journalist
• James Carberry: Irish aviator
• Judy Carberry: Australian tennis player
• Joseph James Carberry: Australian grazier and politician
• Ashley Carberry: Australian actress
• Richard Carberry: US novelist and playwright
• Biddy Carberry: British actress
• Ethel Carberry: British actress
• Priscilla Carberry: British stage actress
• Arthur Edmund Carberry: British olympic sailor
• Colonel Henry Carberry: British service member and colonial administrator
• Major Charles Carberry: British service member
• Patrick Carberry: British soldier
• Joe Carberry: professional rugby player and broadcaster
• Declan Carberry: Irish musician
• David Carberry: American musician
• Thomas Carberry: American Yankees baseball player
• Annahella Carberry: Irish ornithologist

Other surnames

Carbery