Show ContentsCarnochan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic form of the name Carnochan is Ó Cearnachain, which is derived from the word "cearnach," which means "victorious." 1

Early Origins of the Carnochan family

The surname Carnochan was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Carnochan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carnochan research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early Carnochan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carnochan Spelling Variations

Names written in official documents were generally spelt as they sounded, leading to the problem of one name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion in records of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname Carnochan that are preserved in documents of the family history are Kernahan, Kernaghan, Carnahan, Carnaghan and others.

Early Notables of the Carnochan family

More information is included under the topic Early Carnochan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Carnochan migration to the United States +

Irish families began to immigrate to British North America and the United States in the 18th century, but the greatest influx of Irish immigrants came during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. The earlier settlers came to North America after a great deal of consideration and by paying relatively high fees for their passage. These settlers were primarily drawn by the promise of land. Those later settlers that came during the 1840's were trying to escape the conditions of poverty, starvation, disease, and death that had stricken Ireland. Due to the enormity of their numbers and the late date of their arrival, these immigrants primarily became hired laborers instead of homesteading settlers like their predecessors. An exhaustive search of immigration and passenger lists has revealed many Irish immigrants North America bearing the name Carnochan:

Carnochan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Martha Carnochan, who landed in New York in 1775 2
Carnochan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Carnochan, aged 36, who landed in Georgia in 1812 2
  • David Carnochan, aged 38, who arrived in Georgia in 1812 2


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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