Alcoran

Recorded in several forms including Alcorn, Allcorn, Alchorne, Allcorne, Alcon, Alcoran and Aldcorn, this is an English surname which is often associated with Ireland, and particularly County Donegal. According to the famous Irish etylomolgist, the late Edward MacLysacht, the name originates from the words 'old corn,' which may be so. If this is the case then either the the name is from a place called Oldcorn, which may well be so although we have not been able to trace it, or the name was possibly a medieval nickname for a miller or corn merchant, one who had a reputatation for selling corn meal which was some way from fresh! Early examples of the surname recordings taken from surviving church registers include: Richard Alcherne, a christening witness at St Margarets Westminster, on July 1st 1630, and Ann Alcorn who married Phillip Phillips at St Pancras Old Church, in the city of London on July 30th 1668. In Ireland we have recordings which include (another) Ann Alcorn who married George McSwine at Clondavaddog, County Donegal, on July 15th 1794, Joseph Alcoran who was christened at Lower Cumber, County Derry, on May 7th 1825, and Antony Aldcorn who married Agnes Wallace at Dromara, County Down, on July 6th 1826,