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 Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

. The second was the MacCorcráin clan from

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

, 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 The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the ot ...

in 1370 and Edmund O'Corcoran, "the hero of

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

" (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 County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...

. 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 Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...

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

. 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 Ann Kathleen Corcoran (born 21 September 1951) is a former Australian politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives from 2000 to 2007, representing the Victorian seat of Isaacs for the Australian Labor Party (ALP). She was an acco ...

(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 Brian Corcoran (born 23 March 1973) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a centre-back and as a full-forward for the Cork senior teams. Born in Glounthaune, County Cork, Corcoran first played competitive Gaelic games w ...

(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) Danny Corcoran may refer to: * Danny Corcoran (ranger) (1916–1938), Newfoundland ranger who died on a solo expedition across the Great Northern Peninsula * Danny Corcoran (sports administrator) Thomas Daniel "Danny" Corcoran is an Australian ...

, 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 Donna Corcoran (born September 29, 1942) is an American former child actress who appeared in nine Hollywood films from 1951 through 1955. She notably appeared in two aquatic musicals that featured Esther Williams (playing swimmer Annette Kellerm ...

(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 Frank Corcoran ( ; born 1 May 1944) is an Irish composer. His output includes chamber, symphonic, choral and electro-acoustic music, through which he often explores Irish mythology and history. Life ''"I came late to art music; childhood soundsca ...

(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 (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 (1819–1900), gangster * Johannes O Corcoran OSB (died c. 1389),

* John Corcoran (disambiguation), several people * Kevin Corcoran (1949–2015), American director, producer and former child actor *

Larry Corcoran Lawrence J. Corcoran (August 10, 1859 – October 14, 1891) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was born in Brooklyn, New York. Corcoran debuted in the 1880 season, where he won 43 games and led the Chicago team to the National ...

(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 t ...

(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 Ray Corcoran is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. Playing career He was a member of the Cronulla-Sutherland club for eight seasons between 1968 and 1975. His usual position was on the wing. Cor ...

, Australian rugby league footballer * Thomas E. Corcoran (1838–1904), United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the Medal of Honor *

Thomas Gardiner Corcoran Thomas Gardiner Corcoran (December 29, 1900 – December 6, 1981) was one of several advisors in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's brain trust during the New Deal, and later, a close friend and advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Early li ...

, a member of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's brain trust *

Timothy Corcoran (disambiguation) Timothy or Tim Corcoran may refer to: * Timothy Corcoran (cultural historian) (1871–1943), Irish Jesuit scholar *Tim Corcoran (first baseman) (born 1953), American baseball first baseman/outfielder * Timothy R. Corcoran, American legislator in th ...

, several people * Tommy Corcoran (baseball) (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