Surname Kerevan - Meaning and Origin
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Kerevan: What does the surname Kerevan mean?
The last name Kerevan is of Irish origin, with many variations in spelling. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic surname O' Cearbhaill, which is Anglicized as Kerwin, Kernan, Kearnan, Kerivan, and Kerevan. The original Irish form was taken from the first name of Cearbhall, which comes from the Old Irish root 'Cearb', meaning 'Lord', and 'hall', meaning 'Chief'.
The name Kerevan has two possible meanings. In one interpretation, it means ‘Son of the Man of the Hill’. Alternatively, it could mean ‘black/dark haired lord’. This references the description of someone with dark hair and a countenance that suggests position and power.
Kerevan is a fairly common Irish surname and is particularly prevalent in parts of Ireland, such as County Mayo. The earliest known record relating to the surname was in 1254, when a certain Johannes Keruan appeared in Wales.
Today, the name Kerevan is regularly found in the United States and Canada, in addition to Ireland. It is widely believed that the name was taken to North America by immigrants from Ireland, who arrived in the early 19th century.
Kerevan is the epitome of a proud Irish surname, being steeped in history and culture. It represents respect, power, and an authoritative attitude, all of which are admired qualities in the Irish culture.
Order DNA origin analysisKerevan: Where does the name Kerevan come from?
The last name Kerevan is most common today in Scotland, particularly in the region of Lothian. There is also significant presence in England and Ireland. Kerevan is an anglicised version of the Scottish Gaelic name MacIomhair which was first found in Ayrshire in the 12th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic elements 'Iomhar' which means 'lord' or 'noble', and 'mac' which means 'son of'. This surname would indicate that the first restored bearer was the son of a nobleman.
Today, Kerevan is most prevalent in the United Kingdom with over 3,000 bearers recorded in the 2011 census. It is also common in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, but is found in lower numbers than in the UK.
According to House Of Names, Kerevan is a branch of the Clan Maclean and was first set down in a written record in the 12th century when a Malcolm McKerroan of North Berwick attended a meeting of nobles in the presence of the Scottish King known as William the Lion. His son, Donald Makmckerehan, signed the Ragman Roll which was an oath of fealty to King Edward I of England in the year 1296.
Kerevan is now found in most parts of the English speaking world and is still a popular surname in Scotland today.
Variations of the surname Kerevan
The surname Kerevan is a variant of the Irish-Gaelic surname Kevan, and can often be found spelled as Keevan, Kievan, Kivan, Kiven and even Kevins. This surname is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Uidhir, meaning "descendant of Uidhir". Variants of the surname, including Kevane, Kevany and Mac Uidhir, are common in Ireland and Scotland, while Kerevan is more prevalent in the United States and Australia.
The Mac Uidhir variant of the name is popular in Scotland and can be found in parts of Ireland. The surname is often anglicised to Keaveney, Keevey or Keviney, with related surnames including McCavana, MacKeveny, MacEvan and MacUidhir.
In the United States and Australia, some individuals with the surname Kerevan have anglicised the name to Kevan, Keevan, Kievan or Kiven. People from these parts of the world sometimes also spell the surname as Kevins, while some drop the "Mac" from the Mac Uidhir variant and use only Uidhir or Uidhirs.
In total, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Kerevan. Other surnames of similar origin include McCumiskey, Caveney, Cowan, MacBride, McKeown and McEwan.
Famous people with the name Kerevan
- John Kerevan, Scottish author and journalist
- Rhona Kerevan, Scottish actress
- Christopher Kerevan, Scottish poet
- Peter Kerevan, British-born Canadian theatre director
- Harry Kerevan, professional British footballer
- Shane Kerevan, British artist
- Neil Kerevan, Canadian film director and screenwriter
- John Kerevan, American illustrator
- Robert Kerevan, American jazz musician 10.James Kerevan, Scottish actor 11.Robert Kerevan, Welsh rugby player 12.Brent Kerevan, Australian radio presenter