Quirk

Quirk is an Irish and Manx surname, primarily a variant of Quirke.

Etymology

The name is an Anglicized form of the original Irish Ó Cuirc, meaning "descendant of Corc". Corc was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word curc, meaning "tuft of hair" or "heart". Some bearers of the name may also trace their ancestry to the variant Ó Cuirc from the Manx tradition. Interestingly, the surname was sometimes Anglicized as "Oates" due to an erroneous association with the Irish word coirce ("oats").

Variants

Besides Quirk and Quirke, the original Irish form Ó Cuirc is also found. In some cases, Quirk may be a shortened variant of McGuirk.

• Meaning: Descendant of Corc ("heart" or "tuft of hair")
• Origin: Irish, Manx
• Type: Surname
• Usage regions: Ireland, Isle of Man