Surname O'Harrah - Meaning and Origin

O'Harrah: What does the surname O'Harrah mean?

The surname O'Harrah (aw-HARR-ah) is an ancient Irish name that originated in the province of Ulster. It is derived from the Ó hEarchada sept of the famous O'Neill and O'Donnell clans. The name is really an anglicised version of the Irish "Ó hEarchada" meaning "descendant of Earchada".

The O'Harrah surname is amongst the most ancient in Ireland and is linked to the powerful Ulaid (Ulster) clans, descended from Conchobar mac Nessa, the legendary king of Ulster from the Ulster Cycle. The O'Harrahs were a sept of the O'Neills, prominent in County Fermanagh, Ulster.

The name O'Harrah is an old Gaelic surname, derived from the Irish Ó Hearchada (pronounced harr-kah-dah). The name is believed to mean something like "descendant of Earchada", from the Gaelic "earca", which literally means "soaring", but in the context of a surname refers to someone who is very active or energetic.

Despite its ancient roots, the O'Harrah name is still seen in Ireland and around the world today, although its roots still remain a mystery to many. It is thought by some to relate to the ancient sort of fierce warriors who migrated from the British Isles, while others believe the name has more recent French roots. Whatever its true origins, the name O'Harrah is still seen in modern times and is a proud testament to the legacy of ancient Irish heritage.

O'Harrah: Where does the name O'Harrah come from?

The O'Harrah surname is primarily associated with Irish ancestry, and is still prevalent in Irish communities today. It is believed to have originated from the surname O hAmittedlya, which originated in the Irish Gaelic language and literally translates to "grandson of Aragh". The O'Hara clan, of which O'Harrah is a variant, originally comes from County Sligo, in the northwest of Ireland.

Today, the O’Harrah name can be found throughout most of the Irish diaspora. This includes the United States, where O’Harrahs can be found in various locations around the country, especially in the original Irish-American hot spots: New England, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas. Additionally, there are also many Irish Canadians with the surname O’Harrah, particularly in Ontario and Quebec.

Given its Irish base, the O’Harrah surname is also very common in areas with a large Irish population, such as the United Kingdom and Australia. It is even possible to find some O’Harrahs in various countries around the world, such as Argentina and Uruguay.

Overall, the O’Harrah surname still enjoys a strong presence today, thanks to its Irish heritage and the considerable size of Irish communities globally. Whether it is in the United States, the United Kingdom, or a less traditional setting such as Argentina or Uruguay, there are likely to be some O’Harrahs nearby.

Variations of the surname O'Harrah

The surname O’Harrah is an Irish surname originating from the original Gaelic form of Ó hEarchair, which can be translated as descendant of Earchar or ever vigilant. This name has been anglicized in various incarnations, including O’Harrah, O’Harra, O’Hara, Hara, Harrah, Harper, Harvester, and Harvison. It is also sometimes found as Hearach, Harow, and Hearon.

In most Irish records, the O’Harrah surname will be found under various variant spellings as most of the surviving records are from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when many Irish surnames had become Anglicized. This is particularly true for the O’Harrah surname which is very rarely seen spelled as Ó hEarchair.

The O'Harrah surname can also be found spelled as O’ Heraghty, O’Hare, Hare, and Heary. All of these spellings, as well as any other surname that sounds similar, may be employed to search for O’Harrahs in records as members of this family often adopted similar spellings due to an inability to properly spell their own surname.

It is important to note that, while there are many spellings of the O’Harrah surname, there are generally two distinct branches of this family – the MacDermot-O’Harrahs (from the Kingdom of Moylurg) and the O’Harrahs of County Clare. Both of these branches are descended from different ancient Irish clans and share a common heritage. It is believed that their last name derives from the Irish word for “governor”.

Famous people with the name O'Harrah

• Anna O'Harrah: Television Producer and Consulting Director for multiple popular Film and television sets
• John O'Harrah: A former Major League Baseball Player
• Eileen O'Hara: Award-winning Actress from Ireland
• Mark O'Hara: Soccer Player from Scotland
• Owen O'Hara: Actor known for roles in popular films
• Sean O'Hara: Actor from California
• Patrick O'Hara: Actor from Canada
• Steven O'Harrah: Author and Columnist
• Kathleen O'Harrah: Musician, Recording Artist, Producer 10.Finbar O'Harrah: Irish Politician and Former Member of Parliament 11.Leah O'Harrah: Actor from Australia 12.James O'Hara: United States Navy Officer and Medal of Honor recipient

Other surnames

O'HarraO'Harrow