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CLARKIN is a variant of CLERKIN or CLERIHAN.
CLERIHAN (O'CLEIRCHIN) is a sept of Ui Caribre Aedhbha in the barony of Kenry, Co. Limerick who descend from Gluniarn O'Cleircein, Lord of Cairbre, slain 1045. Maelcallan MacClerken, Bishop of Clonfert, Galway who died 1186 may also have been of this family. The name has been rendered Clerihan, Clarkin, Clerkin and Cleary., but it has now been absorbed fully by the name Cleary.
The majority of the name CLARKIN and variants are now to be found in
Northern Ireland where it is a different sept originally O'CLERIAN of
MONAGHAN. The gaelic name has been absorbed by anglicisation and corruption over the centuries to similar names disguising its true Gaelic origins.
Clercin, son of Maelduin, Lord of Ui Eathach (Iveagh, Co. Down) was slain by his own people in 992. Clerchen, son of Leran, Priest of Armagh died 994. O'Cleircein, Lord of Caille Follamhan (Meath) was mortally wounded in 1017. Cellach O'Cleircein, successor to Sts Finnen & Mocholmog, died at Armagh 1043.
With these scant references to the name in early times it is impossible to
say who the eponym was. The area covered by these references lay within the boundaries where the name is still found today. By the Cromwellian period we find three of the family dispossessed in 1657 from the barony of Cremorne in COUNTY MONAGHAN. Bryan MacShane O'Clerian, Patrick O'Clerian & Bryan Boy Clerian.
References from last century include the surnames found in…
ANTRIM - McClarkin, McClurkan, McClurkin, MacLurcan, McLurkan
ARMAGH - McClerkan
CAVAN - Clarkin, Clarkon, Clerkin,
FERMANAGH - Clarkin, Clerkin, McLarkin,
MEATH - Clarkin, Clerkin
MONAGHAN - Clarkin, Clerkin
SLIGO - Clarkin, Clarkon, Clerkin
LARKIN is NOT a variant of CLARKIN. Larkin comes from Lorcan (O'Lorcain). The "Mc" would have been added by popular adaptation (not as a Gaelic revival of adopting the dropped prefix -in this case if it had been it should have been an "O") but due to the great influence of Scots-Irish 'Mac' names in the district. The "C" of Clarkin was absorbed by the "c" of Mac in some cases to give the illusion of it being a derivision of the name Larkin.
More about the CLERIHAN Researched by V McClurkin Jones
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