The Book of Ulster Surnames, by Robert Bell. PAGE 31; Carr; This is an English name, meaning 'Dweller by the marsh', from the Middle English (kerr), Old Norse (kjarr), meaning 'wet ground'. However, most of the Ulster Carrs are of Irish or Scottish descent. Carr is used as a synonym of teh Scottish name Kerr in Ulster and indeed in Scotland itself. But most families of this name descend from one of the Ulster septs who so anglicised thier names. In Mayo and the counties adjacent to it, Kerrane, in Gaelic ( O'Cearain), was made Carr, as were, in Donegal, Kilcarr, MacElhar and MacLlhair, themselves anglicesations of Mac Giolla Chathair, "son of the devotee of (St) Cathair'. In county Armagh the distinct Oriel sept of O'Cairre and Mac Cairre were anglicised as Carry, MacCarry and (O') Carr.. The O'Cairre sept was particularly famous in early medieval times when its chief was recorded in the Annuals of Loch Ce as 'stewart of Cenal Aengusa and royal heir of Oilech'. Many of the Carrs and Kerrs of county Monaghan were originally Mac Giolla Cheara, 'son of the devotee of (st) Ceara (of Killahear).