Curry ~ Ó Corra

The Story of the Curry Name

Curry is an anglicized form of the Irish Ó Corra, meaning “descendant of Corra.” The personal name Corra is an ancient Irish name, traditionally associated with corr, meaning “spear” or “point.” The surname belongs to the old Gaelic tradition in which a family name developed from the personal name of an earlier ancestor.

The Ó Corra family was particularly associated with Connacht, especially County Sligo, County Roscommon, and County Mayo. The surname developed among Gaelic families whose communities were closely connected across the western counties of Ireland.

The name became particularly established in County Sligo, where the Ó Corra family formed part of the Gaelic population of the region. Other branches were found in neighboring Roscommon and Mayo, reflecting the movement and interconnection of families throughout Connacht.

As English became increasingly dominant in official records, Ó Corra was anglicized as Curry. The spelling was influenced by English pronunciation, and the same surname may occasionally appear in historical records in other forms. The Irish form preserves the connection to the much older personal name Corra.

Behind the familiar name Curry lies the story of an ancient Connacht surname rooted in the Gaelic name Corra. From the communities of Sligo, Roscommon, and Mayo, Ó Corra became Curry, carrying forward a name connected to the ancient Irish language and the enduring family traditions of western Ireland.