Province of Munster
County Kerry
Known as The Kingdom. The county's Irish name is Ciarraí, the people of Ciar, and Ciar was a son of Fergus mac Róich and Medb of Connacht. His kingdom is the kingdom in the nickname. It has since been claimed by the footballers.
Did you know?
Monks lived on the bare sea-crag of Skellig Michael, eight miles into the Atlantic, for some 600 years — in beehive huts that stand intact today.
Clans & surnames of Kerry
Brosnan
Ó Brosnacháin
Gaelic sept · “of Brosna — the river and village in Kerry”
Buckley
Ó Buachalla
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Buachaill, 'the herdsman'”
Cahill
Ó Cathail
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cathal — cath, 'battle', with either 'rule' or 'great'”
Cronin
Ó Cróinín
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Crónín, 'little dark-yellow one'”
Culloty
Ó Codlata
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Codladh, 'sleep'”
Curran
Ó Corráin
Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Corrán”
Díaz
— (Spanish name; Diaz in English)
Spanish — the New Irish · “'son of Diego' — a patronymic from the Visigothic period; El Cid himself was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, son of Diego”
Dowling
Ó Dúnlaing
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dúnlang”
Downey
Ó Duibheanaigh / Ó Maoldomhnaigh
Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Duibheanach — or, for the second sept, 'devotee of the church'”
Fitzgerald
Mac Gearailt
Norman dynasty · “fitz Gerald — son of Gerald (of Windsor)”
Foley
Ó Foghladha
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Foghlaidh — 'the plunderer'”
Galvin
Ó Gealbháin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gealbhán, 'bright-white'”
Griffin
Ó Gríobhtha
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gríobhtha, 'griffin-like'”
Kelleher
Ó Céileachair
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Céileachar, 'companion-loving'”
Kirby
Ó Ciarmhaic
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ciarmhac, 'dark son'”
Lalor
Ó Leathlobhair
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Leathlobhar”
McCarthy
Mac Cárthaigh
Gaelic dynasty · “son of Cárthach, 'loving'”
Moriarty
Ó Muircheartaigh
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Muircheartach, 'skilled navigator' — from muir, the sea”
Moynihan
Ó Muimhneacháin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of the Munsterman”
O'Connell
Ó Conaill
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Conall — a name built from 'hound' and 'valour'”
O'Connor
Ó Conchobhair
Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Conchobhar, 'lover of hounds'”
O'Donoghue
Ó Donnchadha
Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Donnchadh”
O'Mahony
Ó Mathghamhna
Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Mathghamhain, 'bear'”
O'Shea
Ó Séaghdha
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Séaghdha, 'hawk-like, stately'”
O'Sullivan
Ó Súilleabháin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Súildubhán, 'dark-eyed one'”
Rice
Rís
Norman-Welsh · “from Welsh Rhys”
Riordan
Ó Ríoghbhardáin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ríoghbhardán, 'royal little bard'”
Scanlon
Ó Scannláin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Scannlán — from scannal, 'contention' or 'strife'”
Shanahan
Ó Seanacháin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Seanachán, 'the old, wise one'”
Sheehan
Ó Síodhacháin
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Síodhach, 'the peaceful'”
Sheehy
Mac Síthigh
Scots-gallowglass · “son of Sítheach, 'the peaceful' — or 'the otherworldly'”
Stack
Stac
Norman-English · “uncertain — perhaps 'haystack-built'”
Sweeney
Mac Suibhne
Scots-gallowglass · “son of Suibhne, 'well-going'”
Twomey
Ó Tuama
Gaelic sept · “descendant of Tuaim — 'burial mound'”
Tap a name for its full page — story, homeland map and neighbours.
On the ground in Kerry
- Aghadoe · round tower · incomplete · 5.4 m
- Ardcanaght Stones · ogham stone
- Arraglen Ogham Stone · ogham stone
- Ballintaggart Ogham Stones · ogham stone
- Ballybowler North Ogham Stone · ogham stone
- Cloghanecarhan · ogham stone
- Darrynane Beg Ogham Stone · ogham stone
- Drung Hill · ogham stone
- Dunloe Ogham Stones · ogham stone
- Eightercua · tomb
- Emlagh East Ogham Stone · ogham stone
- Kilcoolaght East ogham stones · ogham stone
- Killaclohane Portal Tomb · dolmen
- Kilmalkedar · ogham stone
- Ratass Church · ogham stone
- Rattoo · round tower · complete
- Reask · tomb
- Tullygarran ogham stones · ogham stone
- Uragh Stone Circle · stone circle
- 14 castles · Ballycarbery Castle, Ballyheigue Castle, Ballymalis Castle, Castle Conway, Castle Maine and more
Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →
Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Kerry?
Ciarraí. Kerry is one of the 6 counties of Munster (Cúige Mumhan).
Who ruled County Kerry in the Middle Ages?
Around 1014 it was held by Desmond (MacCarthy); by 1450, Earldom of Desmond (FitzGerald). The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.
What surnames come from County Kerry?
Names historically associated with Kerry include Brosnan, Buckley, Cahill, Cronin, Culloty, Curran, Díaz, Dowling, among others.
Trace your ancestors in Kerry
- 1911 Census — Kerry ↗
- 1901 Census — Kerry ↗
- Griffith's Valuation — search Kerry ↗
- Down Survey maps — Kerry ↗
- Schools' Folklore Collection — Kerry ↗
- Placenames of Kerry (Logainm) ↗
- Landed Estates — Kerry ↗
Free, from the holding institutions. How to begin: the six-step guide → · Spotted an error on this page? Suggest a correction.