Carr (surname)

Carr is a common surname in northern England, deriving from the Old Norse kjarr, meaning a brushwood, thicket or copse. It may also come from the ancient Norse Kjarr translation meaning Kaiser from Caesar [1] Kerr is a Scottish variant, often from the Norse and (particularly on the west coast and Arran) from the Gaelic ciar, meaning "dusky".[1] Carr is also a common surname in Ireland, where it often derives from the nickname, gearr, meaning "short of height". In some cases it is thought to come from the Welsh word cawr, meaning giant. Alternatively, in Ireland and Scotland, it may derive from the Irish and Scottish Gaelic cearr meaning pointed spear.