Find out how popular the last name Kerrigan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Kerrigan.

Kerrigan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Kerrigan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kerrigan in America

Kerrigan is the 5204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kerrigan surname appeared 6,714 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kerrigan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kerrigan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Kerrigan

The surname Kerrigan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Cerraghán or O'Cerraghán, meaning "little rough one" or "descendant of Cerraghán." It is believed to have originated in County Kerry, Ireland, in the early medieval period.

The name Kerrigan is thought to have been first recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the 13th century. It was mentioned in reference to a notable family from County Kerry who played a significant role in local affairs during that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Kerrigan was Donal Kerrigan, a Irish chieftain from County Kerry who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his involvement in local conflicts and disputes over land and power.

In the 16th century, the Kerrigan family was documented in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of records related to land grants and appointments in Ireland. This suggests that the family had gained a certain level of prominence and status during this period.

During the 17th century, the name Kerrigan appeared in various records related to the Plantation of Ulster, a organized colonization effort by the English and Scottish in the northern part of Ireland. Several individuals with the surname were recorded as landowners or tenants in counties such as Antrim and Derry.

One notable figure from this time was John Kerrigan, a soldier and landowner born in County Kerry in 1620. He served in the Irish Confederate Wars and later received a land grant in County Antrim for his service.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Kerrigan family was Patrick Kerrigan, born in 1725 in County Kerry. He was a respected scholar and poet who wrote extensively in the Irish language, helping to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of his native region.

Another noteworthy individual was Mary Kerrigan, born in County Tipperary in 1790, who was a renowned traditional Irish singer and storyteller. Her performances and recordings helped to preserve and pass down the oral traditions of Irish folklore.

As the surname Kerrigan spread throughout Ireland and beyond, it has been associated with various individuals from different walks of life, including writers, artists, politicians, and military figures. Its origins, however, can be traced back to the ancient clans and families of County Kerry in the southwestern region of Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kerrigan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Kerrigan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Kerrigan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Kerrigan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Kerrigan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kerrigan, please contact us.

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