Corey
Corey is often an anglicized Irish surname, commonly linked to Gaelic names beginning with Cor- and, in some cases, to the place-name Corry/Corry.
The #2,340 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 19,831 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Corey is usually treated as an anglicized form of several Irish surnames, especially those written with Cor- or Curr- sounds in Gaelic. In older sources it is grouped with names such as Corry, Curry, and O'Curry, suggesting a shared Irish-language origin rather than one single source for every family. In some cases it may also reflect an English spelling of a place-based or nickname surname already simplified in Ireland.
History
19th- and early-20th-century Irish surname writers often grouped Corey with Corry and Curry, showing that the spelling was used as an English rendering of related Gaelic names. Because these forms overlap heavily, Corey can belong to different family lines in Ireland and in emigrant communities. The name is well established in the United States and other English-speaking countries through Irish migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older genealogical indexes, Corey is often listed right alongside Corry and Curry, reflecting how fluid the spelling could be before modern standardization.
From the historical record
“etc. 6 CoiiifAi-oe, O'Curry, Corey, Corry, Curry. 6 ConAill, O'Connell, Connell. 0 CotiAin, Conan, Cunnane. O CoriAing, Cunning, Gunning.”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnamesNotable people named Corey
- Elias James Corey (b. 1928)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.