Surname Erraught - Meaning and Origin
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Erraught: What does the surname Erraught mean?
The last name Erraught (or Errawt) is an Irish surname of relatively recent origin that is found primarily in the province of Connacht in Ireland. It is an anglicized version of the Gaelic Ó Raichtigh, which means “descendant of Raichtig”. Raichtig was an Irish personal name meaning “brave one”, derived from the Old Irish ra which translates to either “courage” or “king”. The prefix ‘O’ was added to make the name a patronymic, meaning “son of Raichtig”.
The Erraught (or Errawt) surname first started appearing in records in the mid-19th century, as more and more people began to adopt a fixed surname. In earlier centuries, Irish people had primarily used patronymic names, which were often based on a father’s first name. This changed with Keatings Act (1864), which made it compulsory for people to use a single, fixed surname. Within Ireland, the Erraught surname is most common in the province of Connacht, and is especially prevalent in Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Galway.
The Erraught (or Errawt) surname continues to be used by people of Irish descent today, and has also been adopted by people in other countries like the United States and Australia. It is a reminder of Irish heritage and will no doubt continue to be used for many more centuries to come.
Order DNA origin analysisErraught: Where does the name Erraught come from?
The last name Erraught is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin. It is most commonly found in County Mayo, Ireland, and amongst descendants of Irish immigrants in the United States. In Ireland, Erraught is found predominantly in the provinces of Connacht, Ulster, and Leinster. In the US, the most populous states for the Erraught surname are New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
Erraught is a variant of Ó hEárachtaigh, which was created from the Gaelic word “eárachtaigh” meaning “ascend” or “rise”. The Ó hEárachtaigh clan was long established in County Mayo and was renowned for their bravery and loyalty. This clan was once a powerful one in the region and its members held important positions in politics, medicine, and religion.
Today, the Erraught surname is still very prominent in Ireland. In recent years, the descendants of this family have spread worldwide, particularly to the US, Canada, Australia, and Britain.
Despite its spread, the Erraught family continues to remain connected to its Irish roots and the surname is still proudly carried by its descendants. The Erraught coat of arms is today still found on family trees and buildings, a reminder of the proud past of this ancient Gaelic family.
Variations of the surname Erraught
The surname Erraught is an Irish surname originating from the old Gaelic "O'Feargha" which means descendant of Fearg. Erraught is traditionally a patronymic name derived from the given name "Fearg". Variations of the name Erraught include Eraght, Erragh, O'Getty, O'Grady and MacFergus, amongst others.
The Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "O Feargha" is Erraught. This variant is commonly found in anglicization of Irish surnames in the 17th century. This is the most widely used spelling of the surname. The letter r adds a characteristic Gaelic pronunciation to the surname. Erraught is pronounced "ER-aht".
Variants of the Erraught surname that have been in use since the 17th century include Erragh, Eraght and Eraghty. These spellings evolved as Irish family names were translated to English when records were being kept in the 18th century. The spelling MacFergus is also a variant of Erraught and was used by families who wanted to showcase their ancient heritage by linking their families to Fergus mac Roich, an Irish mythological character.
The surnames O'Grady and O'Getty are believed to be a modern variant of Erraught. O'Grady stems from the Gaelic phrase "Ua Gradaigh" which means "descendant of Gradaigh". This in turn comes from the name Gradaigh which is derived from the Gaelic word "grada" meaning "noble". O'Getty is similar to O'Grady in meaning and is derived from the Gaelic phrase "Ua Gaedhealaigh" which translates as "descendant of the foreigner".
Variants of the Erraught surname are reflective of the changes that have taken place in Ireland since records of Irish surnames began being kept. Many of the different variants emerged as the language in Ireland shifted from Gaelic to English. As families moved and spread throughout the country, the spelling of their surname evolved and changed over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Erraught
- Aoife Erraught, internationally renowned Irish mezzo-soprano
- John Erraught, Abbey Theatre actor and former Lord Mayor of Dublin
- Mary Erraught, former Irish diplomat and Ambassador to Russia
- Susie Erraught, founder and chair of the International Music Council
- Julia Erraught, first prize winner in the Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld International Violin Competition
- Edward Erraught, prominent 19th century Irish mathematician and physicist
- Bryan Erraught, current CEO of tech company Movebox
- Aine Erraught, winner of the prestigious Whelan Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London
- Edna Erraught, international mezzo-soprano formerly of the National Opera in Australia
- Emmet Erraught, former Director of the National Museum of Ireland