Show ContentsKeerie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish name Keerie originally appeared in Gaelic as O Ciardha. However, "Carey" and its spelling variations have also been used as the Anglicized forms of six other Irish patronymics: O Ceinin, O Ciarain, Mac Giolla Ceire, O Carra, Mac Giolla Chathair, and the nearly-extinct MacFhiachra.

Early Origins of the Keerie family

The surname Keerie was first found in the county of Kilkenny (Irish: Cill Chainnigh), the former Kingdom of Osraige (Ossory), located in Southeastern Ireland in the province of Leinster. Today Cary is a barony in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Early History of the Keerie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Keerie research. Another 174 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1300, 1620, 1761, 1784 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Keerie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Keerie Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name Keerie revealed many variations, including Carrie, Carry, Carre, Carie, Carrey, MacCarry, MacHarry, MacHarris, O'Carey, Cary, M'Carrie, Kearey, Kearrie, Keerie, Keery, Keerey, M'Harrie, M'Harry, M'Hary, M'Harie and many more.

Early Notables of the Keerie family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Patrick Carrie, notable Irish patriot. Also, three famous brothers of the Carey name, John Carey, the inventor of the distress rocket for ships, went to London and taught school, becoming a most prolific writer, writing over 50 classics, including short stories and poems. The next brother, William, a painter and engraver, stayed in Dublin...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Keerie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Keerie family

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name Keerie: William Carey, who settled in Virginia in 1653; Richard Carey and his wife Elizabeth, who arrived in Barbados in 1680; Clare Carrie who settled in Georgia in 1794.


Contemporary Notables of the name Keerie (post 1700) +

  • Ms. CatrIona Keerie, British Senior Clinical Trials Statistician at the University of Edinburgh


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