Home

Cearnaigh

Cearnaigh is a surname of Irish Gaelic origin. It is derived from the Gaelic cearnaigh, an occupational term referring to a quarry worker or stone cutter, indicating that the name originally described a person's trade. The form Cearnaigh appears in Gaelic records, and the prefix Ó Cearnaigh marks a lineage meaning "descendant of Cearnaigh."

In medieval and early modern Gaelic Ireland, bearers of the name were associated with communities where quarrying

Today, Cearnaigh remains relatively uncommon. It is chiefly encountered in Ireland, particularly in areas with preserved

See also: Irish surnames, Gaelic language, Ó Cearnaigh, occupational surnames.

and
stoneworking
were
common.
Over
time,
Gaelic
names
were
recorded
in
English-language
documents,
leading
to
a
range
of
anglicized
spellings
and
adaptations
in
different
regions.
The
name
is
commonly
found
in
the
Irish
annals
and
genealogies
in
connection
with
families
of
Gaelic
origin.
Gaelic
heritage,
and
among
the
Irish
diaspora
in
North
America,
Britain,
and
Australia.
The
surname
is
part
of
the
broader
category
of
Gaelic
occupational
names
that
survive
in
modern
usage
as
family
names.