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carty Name Meaning and History Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cárthaigh ‘descendant of Cárthach’, a byname meaning ‘loving’. See also McCarthy.
ROSCOMMON CARTY'S
In Roscommon, there is a sept of Cartys, original Irish was Ua Carthaigh as opposed to Ó Cárthaigh. Thought to be a sept of the O'Rourkes. Our North Longford Cartys are not thought to be part of this family, a family story puts our origin in Kildare. ~ Thomas Carty
Surprisingly this early Irish surname is not a shortened form of the more familiar MacCarthy, although the original meaning is the same. Its origins are "O'Carthaigh", from the early Gaelic "Carthach", translating as "loving" or probably, "the loving one", an unusual descriptive nickname for clans known more for their warlike, than their "loving" tendencies! The Carty clan originates principally in the County of Wexford, where it is also recorded in the spelling of Carthy. Many Cartys left Ireland in the wake of the Great Famine (1846 - 1848), the earliest recorded being Bernard, his wife, Bridget, his son, Thomas, and his mother, Mary, who sailed on the "Fredonia" of Liverpool, in April 1846, bound for New York. Unfortunately, Irish records before 1864 are either erratic or non-existent, therefore their homeplace has not been identified. Name recordings include, Bartholomew Carty, the son of Jonathon (below), who married at St. Peter and St. Kevin, Dublin, to Jane Swan, on July 1st 1721. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jonathon Carty, which was dated March 27th 1692, married at St. Peter and St. Kevin, Dublin, during the reign of King William 111 of Orange, 1689 - 1702. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling
This famous Irish clan surname descends from the early kings of Ireland. Recorded in the spellings of MacCarhty, McCarthy, MacCarty and Mccarty, it is an anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mac Carthaigh", the prefix "Mac" denoting son of, plus the byname "Carthach" meaning "loving". Given that the clan were long famous for their territorial and disputes with their neighbours, may suggest that the name was a nickname, and an ironic one at that! Today the clan has some thirty thousand members within Ireland, the great majority still living in the their original homelands in County Cork. Those with the spelling as Mccarty or MacCarhty are most prominent in County Wexford, in the South East of Ireland. The clan descends, or so it is claimed, from the 3rd Century a.d. King of Munster, Oilioll Olum. The earliest recognisable nameholder was probably 'Carthach, Lord of Eoghannacht, who died in 1045. Amongst the notable early nameholders was Fineen Mac Carthy Reagh, chief of the barony of Carbery in West Cork in 1572, and who resided at the famous Blarney Castle. He is also famous for being the originator of the word 'blarney', to indicate a verbal smokescreen. Justin MacCarthy, was created Earl of Mountcashell by King James 11 in 1688. He subsequently commandered the Irish Brigade in the army of France, before being killed in 1694. The coat of arms of the clan has a silver field, charged with a red stag trippant, gold attired (horned) and unguled (hoofed). The arms suggest a person of loyalty and speed of action, who is well rewarded. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of MacCarthy Mor, which was dated 1172, rendered homage to Henry 11 of England, during the reign of Ruairi O'Conchubhaire, High King of Ireland, 1166 - 1198. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original