Corcoran is an Irish surname, the original

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

form being meaning 'descendant of Corcrán'. The name itself is derived from meaning 'purple'.

History

The name Corcoran is an anglicisation of the names of two Gaelic clans. The first was the Ó Corcráin in Ulster. The second was the MacCorcráin clan from Leinster, which was a sept of Ó Corcráin. Related variations of the name Corcoran historically include ''MacCorcoran'', ''O'Corcoran'', and ''Corcorran''. The Corcorans were predominantly from

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of al ...

and included a number of figures of historical importance such as the Bishop of Clogher in 1370 and Edmund O'Corcoran, "the hero of Limerick" (from the siege of 1691). Many Corcorans become members of the clergy between the tenth and fifteenth centuries, they became based around the vicinity of

Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne, ...

, County Fermanagh in Ulster. One member of the family, John Corcoran was appointed Bishop of Clogher in 1373. The O'Corcrain territory was invaded by the Normans in 1170 AD. During the

Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster ( gle, Plandáil Uladh; Ulster-Scots: ''Plantin o Ulstèr'') was the organised colonisation (''plantation'') of Ulstera province of Irelandby people from Great Britain during the reign of King James I. Most of the sett ...

and the

Cromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland or Cromwellian war in Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell invaded Ireland wi ...

in 1649 AD, the Corcorans were scattered. Many settled on lands in Connaught,

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

and Leinster. Principally Offaly, Tipperary and Galway where the MacCorcorans had settled previously.

Modern

Today the surname is used throughout Ireland and throughout the

Irish diaspora The Irish diaspora ( ga, Diaspóra na nGael) refers to ethnic Irish people and their descendants who live outside the island of Ireland. The phenomenon of migration from Ireland is recorded since the Early Middle Ages,Flechner and Meeder, The ...

Notable people with the surname Corcoran

* Ann Corcoran (born 1951), Australian politician *

Annette Corcoran Annette Corcoran (born 1930) is an American artist who was born in Inglewood, California. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1952, and continued post-graduate studies at California State University, Long Beach, C ...

(born 1930), American ceramist *

Barbara Corcoran Barbara Ann Corcoran (born March 10, 1949) is an American businesswoman, investor, syndicated columnist, and television personality. She founded The Corcoran Group, a real estate brokerage in New York City, which she sold to NRT for $66 million ...

(born 1949), real estate mogul, entrepreneur, and investor on ABC's "Shark Tank" *

Brian Ó Corcrán Brian Ó Corcrán, Irish poet, Ó Corcrán's floruit is uncertain. An earlier Brian Ó Corcrán () is listed as a vicar. The surname is now rendered as Corcoran (surname). Ó Corcrán authored two surviving poems, ''Mo chion dot bhronnadh, a Bh ...

(died 1624?), poet * Brian Corcoran (born 1973), former Irish sportsman *

Cahalan Ó Corcrán Cahalan is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adrienne Cahalan (born 1964), Australian sailor * Cissie Cahalan (1876–1948), Irish suffragette * Robert Cahalan (born 1946), American atmospheric scientist * Sinéad Cahalan, Iris ...

(died 1001), Abbot * Danny Corcoran (disambiguation), several people *

Des Corcoran James Desmond Corcoran AO (8 November 1928 – 3 January 2004) was an Australian politician, representing the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party. He was the 37th Premier of South Australia, serving between 15 February 1979 ...

(1929–2004), Australian politician * Donna Corcoran (born 1942), American former child actress *

Éamonn Corcoran Éamonn Corcoran (born 17 October 1977 in Templemore, County Tipperary) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club J.K. Bracken's GAC. He was a member of the Tipperary GAA senior inter-county team from 1999 until 2008. Ea ...

(born 1978), former Irish sportsman *

Farrel Corcoran Professor Farrel Corcoran is an author and retired academic of Dublin City University. He has served as Head of Communication and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the university. From 1995 to 2000 he was chairman of RTÉ, the Republic of Irel ...

, author and academic *

Felimidh Ó Corcrán Felimidh Ó Corcrán (d. 1522) was an Irish Doctor of Canon Law. Ó Corcrán was a member of a Brehon family from County Fermanagh. The Annals of the Four Masters record his death, ''sub anno'' 1522: * ''Master Felim O'Corcran, a learned doctor ...

(died 1522), Canon lawyer *

Fláithrí Ó Corcrán Fláithrí Ó Corcrán, Irish singer and harpist, d. 1496. Ó Corcrán bore a surname held by at least two unrelated clans; one was a Brehon family from County Fermanagh, a second was situated in Munster. It is uncertain to which, if either, fa ...

(died 1496), singer and harpist * Frank Corcoran (born 1944), Irish composer *

Fred Corcoran Fred J. Corcoran (April 4, 1905 – June 23, 1977) was a golf tournament director, publicist, agent and business manager. Known around the world as "Mr. Golf," he was one of the first non-players to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1 ...

(1905–1977), World Golf Hall of Famer *

James Corcoran James Corcoran (c.1780 – 1804) was an Irish rebel leader who following the suppression of the United Irish insurrection of 1798, maintained a guerrilla resistance to the British Crown forces in counties Wexford and Kilkenny until his final ...

(1770–1804), Irish rebel *

Jerry Corcoran Gerald Corcoran (November 15, 1893 – February 3, 1981) was an American football player and owner. He was a running back for the Columbus Panhandles in 1917. He was the owner of the Cleveland Indians (NFL 1931), Cleveland Indians in 1931 and wa ...

(1893–1981), American football player and executive *

Jim Corcoran James Ashley Corcoran (born 10 February 1949 in Sherbrooke, Quebec) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and former broadcaster. Biography Jim Corcoran was born in Sherbrooke, but went to high school and obtained his B.A. in Boston, Massachusetts ...

(born 1949), Canadian musician *

Jimmy Corcoran James J. Corcoran (May 1, 1820 – November 12, 1900) was an Irish-born laborer and well-known personality among the Irish-American community of the historic " Corcoran's Roost" and the Kip's Bay districts, roughly the area near 40th Street and ...

(1819–1900), gangster * Johannes O Corcoran OSB (died c. 1389), Bishop of Clogher * John Corcoran (disambiguation), several people *

Kevin Corcoran Kevin Anthony "Moochie" Corcoran (June 10, 1949 – October 6, 2015) was an American child actor, director and producer. He appeared in numerous Disney projects between 1957 and 1963, leading him to be honored as a Disney Legend in 2006. Hi ...

(1949–2015), American director, producer and former child actor * Larry Corcoran (1859–1891), American pitcher in Major League Baseball *

Michael Corcoran Michael Corcoran (September 21, 1827 – December 22, 1863) was an Irish-American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York Regiment to ...

(1827–1863), American general and close confidant of Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War *

Niall Corcoran Niall Corcoran (born 9 July 1982) is a hurling coach and former player at senior level for the Dublin county team until 2016. County Hurling He won the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship with Galway in 2000. He made his championship debu ...

, Irish sportsman *

Noreen Corcoran Noreen Margaret Corcoran (October 20, 1943 – January 15, 2016) was an American film and television actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Gregg in the American sitcom television series '' Bachelor Father''. Early years Corcoran was born ...

(1943–2016), American actress * Ray Corcoran, Australian rugby league footballer *

Thomas E. Corcoran Thomas E. Corcoran (October 12, 1839 – March 12, 1904) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Siege of Vicksburg. He w ...

(1838–1904), United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the Medal of Honor * Thomas Gardiner Corcoran, a member of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's brain trust * Timothy Corcoran (disambiguation), several people *

Tommy Corcoran (baseball) Thomas William Corcoran (January 4, 1869 – June 25, 1960) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to for the Pittsburgh Burghers (1890), Philadelphia Athletics (1891), Brooklyn Gro ...

(1869–1960), American baseball player *

William Corcoran Eustis William Corcoran Eustis (July 20, 1862 – November 24, 1921) was a captain in the United States Army and the personal assistant to General John J. Pershing during World War I. He was chairman of the inauguration committee for the first inaug ...

(1862–1921), wealthy inhabitant of Washington, D.C. and grandson of William Wilson Corcoran *

William Wilson Corcoran William Wilson Corcoran (December 27, 1798 – February 24, 1888) was an American banker, philanthropist, and art collector. He founded the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Early life Corcoran was born on December 27, 1798, in Georgetown in the Di ...

(1798–1888), American banker, philanthropist and art collector

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Corcoran Anglicised Irish-language surnames

History

Modern

Notable people with the surname Corcoran

See also

References