Kiernan Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kiernan last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Kiernan last name
Meaning of the Kiernan last name: son of Tighearnán ("little lord"). Kiernan comes from the Gaelic Mac Thighearnáin, "son of Tighearnán", a name built on tighearna, "lord", so it means roughly "little lord". The best-known family lived in County Cavan and was linked with the powerful O'Rourkes of Breifne. The name is most common in Cavan, Longford and Leitrim, and in Dublin. A curious detail: the related form Tiernan grew from the same old personal name.
Arms associated with the Kiernan name
In Ireland, arms were often shown with a motto in Irish or Latin, and the Kiernan name shares in that long, proud tradition.
Get your full Kiernan family history
This is only a glimpse of the Kiernan story. The full Kiernan history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Kiernan coat of arms. Get the full Kiernan report.
Kiernan name FAQ
What does the Kiernan name mean?
Son of Tighearnán ("little lord"). Common variants include McKiernan, Kernan, Tiernan.
Where does the Kiernan surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Scotland.
Is there a Kiernan coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kiernan coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.