Curran is an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

surname.

Background

The surname Curran derives from a number of unrelated Irish families: * Ó Corráin – at least three distinct families of the name located in what are now counties

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

and

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

; County Galway;

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...

; County Kerry and

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 ...

. The Currans of Kerry are said to have originated with the Ui Charrain, of the Uí Meic Caille sept of the

Uí Liatháin The Uí Liatháin (IPA: �iːˈlʲiəhaːnʲ were an early kingdom of Munster in southern Ireland. They belonged the same kindred as the Uí Fidgenti, and the two are considered together in the earliest sources, for example '' The Expulsion of th ...

kings of Munster. The Uí Liatháin descended from Eochu Liathán ("Eochu the Grey"), son of

Dáire Cerbba Dáire Cerbba (or Cerba, Cearba, Cearb; meaning "Silver Dáire" or "Dáire the Sharp/Cutting") was a 4th-century Irish dynast who was evidently a king of late prehistoric central northern Munster, called Medón Mairtíne at the time. A frequent ...

, who was, according to the Munster epic Forbhais Droma Dámhgháire, king of Medón Mairtine. According to the

Annals of Inisfallen Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

, the modern-day presence of the Curran family in County Kerry is the result of the war in 1177 between

Domnall Mór Ua Briain Domnall Mór Ua Briain, or Domnall Mór mac Toirrdelbaig Uí Briain, was King of Thomond in Ireland from 1168 to 1194 and a claimant to the title King of Munster. He was also styled King of Limerick, a title belonging to the O'Brien dynas ...

, King of Thomond, and Diarmait Mor Mac Carthaigh, during which the Uí Meic Caille fled across the Lee; for some this departure was permanent, with many Currans becoming Kerry gentry. Descendants Thomas and Dowenald O Corran were amongst those summoned to serve in arms against the Earl of Desmond in 1345.Eriu, vol. 30, pp. 173–75, 1979, Donnchadh O Corrain * Ó Cuirín –

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...

* Mac Corraidhín – apparently now rendered as Crean in County Kerry The surname Curran is common in all four provinces in Ireland, but especially in

and throughout

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 Kin ...

. The name is also prevalent in the south of Ireland, appearing many times in the County Tipperary Hearth Money Rolls of 1665–67. Currans showed up frequently as Waterford residents in the census of 1659.

People

Alex Curran Alexandra Gerrard (née Curran; born 23 September 1982) is an English model, fashion columnist for the ''Daily Mirror'', and the wife of former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard. She was described as a leading " WAG" of the England ...

(born 1982), British fashion model and columnist, wife of footballer Steven Gerrard * Alvin Curran (born 1938), American composer * Barbara A. Curran (1940-2022), American politician, judge, and lawyer * Ben Curran (born 1996), English cricketer, brother of Sam and Tom *

Brian Curran Brian Phillip Curran (born November 5, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey, coach, executive and former player. He is the current head coach and general manager of the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Curran was born in Toronto, ...

(born 1963), Canadian ice hockey player * Brittany Curran (born 1990), American actress * Charles Curran (disambiguation), several people * Chuck Curran (born 1939), American politician * Clare Curran (born 1960), New Zealand politician *

Dennis Patrick Curran Dennis P. Curran (born June 10, 1953) is an American organic chemist and a professor of chemistry at University of Pittsburgh known for his research in the fields of organic chemistry, radical chemistry, and fluorous chemistry. Career and person ...

(born 1953), American chemist * Denny Curran (1875–1968), Irish sportsman and politician *

Donnchadh Ó Corráin Donnchadh Ó Corráin (28 February 1942 – 25 October 2017) was an Irish historian and Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at University College Cork. He earned his BA in history and Irish from that institution, graduating in 1964. He was ...

, Irish historian * Frances Curran (born 1961), Scottish politician * Frank Curran (disambiguation), several people *

Gerald Curran Gerald Curran (March 20, 1939 – March 27, 2013) was an American politician and lawyer. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Curran received his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Baltimore. He practiced law and was in the insurance ...

(1939–2013), American politician * Harry Curran (born 1966), Scottish footballer * Henry 'Babe' Curran (1896–1964), Australian wool-grower * Henry M. Curran (1918–1993), New York politician * Homer Curran (1885–1952), American theatrical producer * Hugh McCollum Curran (1875–1960), American forester * J. Joseph Curran Jr. (born 1931), American politician from Maryland *

Jack Curran John Joseph Curran (September 6, 1930 – March 14, 2013) was an American baseball and basketball coach. Curran was the head coach at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York. Curran won more basketball and baseball games than any ...

(1930–2013), American High School athletics coach * Jesse Curran (born 1996), Australian soccer player * Jimmy Curran (1880–1963), Scots/American athlete and athletics coach *

Joan Curran Joan, Lady Curran (26 February 1916 – 10 February 1999), born Joan Elizabeth Strothers, was a Welsh physicist who played important roles in the development of radar and the atomic bomb during the Second World War. She invented chaff, a rad ...

(1916–1999), Welsh physicist, inventor of "chaff" radar countermeasures * John Curran (disambiguation), several people * John (Jack) Bernard Curran (1932–2003), Canadian broadcaster *

John Joseph Curran John Joseph Curran, (February 22, 1842 – October 1, 1909) was a Canadian politician and lawyer. He was the country's first Solicitor General between December 5, 1892 and October 17, 1895 and a member of the Conservative Party between Febr ...

(1859–1936), Canadian politician and lawyer *

John Philpot Curran John Philpot Curran (24 July 1750 – 14 October 1817) was an Irish orator, politician, wit, lawyer and judge, who held the office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland. He was renowned for his representation in 1780 of Father Neale, a Catholic pri ...

(1750–1817), Irish orator, politician, wit, lawyer and judge, Master of the Rolls * Johnny Curran (1924–1985), Scottish footballer * Joseph Curran (disambiguation) several people * Kevin Curran (disambiguation), several people *

Mairead Curran Mairead Curran (born 16 August 1968) is an Australian born children's entertainer, actress, and voice-over artist based in Melbourne. Having trained at TAFTA and the Geelong Performing Arts Academy she started her career at the Oxford Children ...

(born 1968), Australian voiceover artist * Margaret Curran (disambiguation), several people * Mary Katharine Curran (1844–1920), American botanist * Matthew Curran (1882–1938), Irish boxer of the 1900s–1920s * Mike Curran (born 1944), American ice-hockey player * Nick Curran (born 1977), American rock/blues musician * Paul Curran (disambiguation), several people * Pearl Lenore Curran (1883–1937), American author who wrote as Patience Worth * Pete Curran (1860–1910), British trade unionist and politician, Member of Parliament for Jarrow * Robert Curran (disambiguation), several people * Robert Curran, Sr. (born c. 1804-26 Dec 1871), Irish Blacksmith in Eastern County Down; Husband of Catherine (born c. 1799-3 Jan 1879) * Robert Curran, Jr. (born c. 16 Mar 1836-8 Jun 1890), Irish Sea Captain and Master Mariner of Merchant Ship SS Leona, Ship Registration No. 57,467, Registered Port: Belfast; born at Portaferry, County Down; Husband of Mary McSherry (circa 1838-30 Aug 1894); In July 1857 he and brothers Thomas, John and Patrick Curran, all of Portaferry, County Down, were convicted of Assault and Served Sentence at Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol and Downpatrick County Gaol; died of what is now known as Secondary Drowning on board his sailing vessel, the Leona of Belfast, the morning after falling into 8 feet of water in Sligo Quay (drunk trying to get back on board his boat) * Robert Patrick Curran, Sr. (2 Nov 1879-5 Mar 1933), Irish Ship Steward for White Star Line’s RMS Olympic, M.V. Georgic and SS Laurentic; Died from Severe 1st Degree Burns To Body (After falling asleep while smoking cigarette in bed, his clothes caught fire); son of Captain Robert Curran, Jr. of Portaferry, Co. Down *

Sam Curran Samuel Matthew Curran (born 3 June 1998) is an English cricketer who plays for England in all formats. In domestic cricket, he represents Surrey, and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues, including for Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super King ...

(born 1998), English cricketer; brother of Tom Curran * Sir

Samuel Curran Sir Samuel Crowe Curran (23 May 1912 – 15 February 1998), FRS, FRSE, was a physicist and the first Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde – the first of the new technical universities in Britain. He is the invent ...

(1912–1998), British physicist and founder of the University of Strathclyde * Sarah Curran (1782–1808), daughter of John Philpot Curran and wife of Robert Emmet * Séamus Ó Cuirrín,

Bishop of Killaloe The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bish ...

1526–42 * Sean Curran (disambiguation), several people * Shane Curran (disambiguation), several people * Simon Ó Cuirrin,

Bishop of Kilfenora The Bishop of Kilfenora () was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Kilfenora in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. In both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church, the title is now united with o ...

1300–1302 * Terry Curran (born 1955), English footballer * Tom Curran (disambiguation), several people *

Tony Curran Tony Curran is a Scottish actor who has appeared in '' Underworld: Evolution'', ''Doctor Who'', ''Roots'', and the Netflix historical epic '' Outlaw King''. He appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) as Bo ...

, Scottish actor * William Curran (disambiguation), several people In fiction: * Curran (''Eyes of the Dragon''), a character in Stephen King's ''

The Eyes of the Dragon ''The Eyes of the Dragon'' is a fantasy novel by American writer Stephen King, first published as a limited edition slipcased hardcover by Philtrum Press in 1984, illustrated by Kenneth R. Linkhauser. The novel would later be published for th ...

'' * Jenny Curran, a character from '' Forrest Gump'' played by Robin Wright Penn * Detective Nick Curran, a character in the movie ''

Basic Instinct ''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. The film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), who is investigating the brutal murder of a wea ...

'' played by

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the A ...

* Amanda (Mandy) Curran, a character in Stanley Kubrick's ''

Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's set ...

'' played by Julienne Davis * Curran Lennart, a character from'' Ilona Andrews’s'' Kate Daniels series

References

{{Reflist English-language surnames Anglicised Irish-language surnames