Cearnáin

Cearnáin is a name of Irish origin that functions as both a surname and a toponymic element in Ireland. The spelling with the acute accent on the a reflects Irish orthography, and Anglicized forms are common in historical records where diacritics were omitted. In Gaelic, Cearnáin is generally viewed as a derivative of a root connected to place features such as a cairn or stone heap, with the diminutive suffix -áin or -án producing a sense of "little cairn" or "belonging to the family of the cairn."

Historically, forms of the name appear in medieval Irish genealogies and place-name lists, often linked to families who occupied or governed a locality associated with a notable stones or cairn feature.

Distribution: The surname remains uncommon. It is most frequently encountered in Ireland, with regional clusters in western and southern counties, and with descendants in Irish diaspora communities abroad.

Notable bearers: There are no widely recognized figures bearing the exact spelling Cearnáin in major reference works; related variants appear in local histories and genealogies.