Keary
/ˈkɪəri/noun
Keary is an Irish surname, commonly regarded as an anglicized form of Ó Ciardha.
Did you know?The Gaelic element ciar, meaning “dark” or “black,” also appears in the personal name Ciarán, traditionally interpreted as “little dark one.”
Etymological Timeline
Old Irish
Old Irish
ciar
“Dark, black, or dark-colored”
Early Medieval Ireland
Old Irish
Ciardha
“A personal name formed from ciar, meaning dark or dark-haired”
Medieval Ireland
Irish Gaelic
Ó Ciardha
“Descendant of Ciardha”
12th–16th Century
Irish Gaelic
Ó Ciardha
“A hereditary Gaelic family name associated especially with Leinster”
Early Modern Period
English
Keary
“An anglicized spelling of Ó Ciardha”
Modern English
English
Keary
“An Irish family surname”