Corr

This interesting name, also found as (O)Corry, (Mac)Corry, (O)Corr and Curry, is of Irish origin and is the Anglicization of the Gaelic 'O'Corra', which translates as the descendant of 'Corra' (the 'O' denoting son of), a personal name from 'corr', a spear, or pointed object. Corr is the more modern form, and is much more numerous in Ulster than elsewhere, and many of the Corrs of Tyrone and Derry are descended from Gilla Corr (see below), whose son is perpetuated in the townland of Ballykilcurr, near Maghera. People of the name Cor and Corre were established in Counties Tipperary and Kilkenny as early as 1270, but it is thought that this is an unrelated Norman name. Among the early recordings in London is the marriage of Elizabeth Corr and Francis Hunt on April 21st 1690 at St. James's, Duke's Place, and in Ireland, the christening of Daniel Corr on October 24th 1697 at Clones, Monaghan. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gilla Corr, which was dated 1186, Annals of Ulster, during the reign of King Henry 11, 'The Builder of Churches', 1154-1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.