Isle of Man

On the Isle of Man, the name's first appearance appeared in the Parish Registers as Makory sometime in 1290 A.D. In 1293, a document concerning the "Outlawry of Donekan MacToryn" was presented to the Scottish lordships in a trial on IOM. The outlawry was considered to be "an error" in judgment and was officially annulled from the Kingdom of Scotland^[1] on the 28th of June, 1293. This took place during the time when invasions were taken place between the kingdoms of Scotland and England. In 1314, a petition to Edward II showed Duncan de MacKoury, a gentleman to Sir John of Argyll, at all times since the commencement of the war in Scotland, to show his allegiance to both Edward I and Edward II and to be granted. According to the petition, "His father and relations have died in the same service, all his lands, goods, and houses were destroyed by the Scots, and he himself has lived the whole of this year in Man in great distress, in the service of the King. Therefore he prays that the King will consider his estate, and grant him the ward and marriage of the body and lands of the heir of Nicholas de Ledewicke in Ireland, which are valued at twenty marks, together with the marriage of the wife of the said Nicholas, which ward belongs to the King, so that he may have a retreat for his wife and his children, so long as he remains in the service of the King".^[1] The request was granted.

While significant sources from the Isle of Man (along with most Manx genealogists) agree that the lineage of Corrins are of Celtic origin, some argue that pre-1400s documents point to a Norse source through the name of Thorfin. J.J. Kneen, a historian on the Isle of Man, suggests the possibility in terms of places, such as Malew to have been given significant influences from the Norse. According to Kneen, "It is probable that Thore the son of Asser is identifiable with Thorfin the son of Oter mentioned in the Chronicles of Man. He was a famous chieftain of the Isles in the 12th century. It is now impossible to identify the site of this estate, but it was probably in the Parish of Malew".^[11]

The Thorfin clan is briefly mentioned in the Chronicles of Mann and the Isles:

Godred after a few days went back to Man, and dismissed the chiefs of the Isles to their respective abodes. When he now found himself secure on his throne, and that no one could oppose him, he began to act tyrannically towards his chiefs, depriving some of their inheritances, and others of their dignities. Of these, one named Thorfinn, son of Oter, more powerful than the rest, went to Somerled, and begged for his son Dugald, that he might make him king over the Isles. Somerled, highly gratified by the application, put Dugald under the direction of Thorfinn, who received and led him through all the islands, subjecting them all to him, and taking hostages from each.

While there are some similarities between the origins of Clan Corrin and Clan Thorfin (in terms of land), the differences lie within genetics that is present between these two families, instead of by name and influence on the Isle of Man.

The early family seat was located in Malew in the vicinity of Rushen Abbey. This location was probably the source of the people called MacToryns before the name evolved later on pre-1400s.^[1] According to sources, the 'proto-Corrins' were most likely the McCorryns, McCoryns, and McCorrans in the 1500s onward. In Rushen, a clan based there, The Corrins of Ballagawne, was known to have held quarterland properties in the parishes of Arbory. Historically, they considered the Armstrong clan as their allies and Watsons as their rivals.

Scotland

In Scotland, The name of Corrin is derived from similar ethnic origins and can be found in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland. The surname is a contraction of Mac Odhráin or fuller Mac GilleOdrain (from the personal name Odhrán). This surname is considered to be an patronymic name, meaning "son of Odhran".^[12] The personal name Odhrán means "pale-faced" or "the little pale-faced one".

In the Lowlands, they are associated with the family of McAdam, a clan based in the Scottish Lowlands, presumably in Ayrshire and/or Kirkcudbrightshire through intermarriages and alliances.^[13] Although MacAdam is a sept themselves, who have originally been branched off of Clan MacGregor in Argyllshire and Perthshire, they are a Scottish clan in their own right (there is a Clan Adam that exists).^[14]

The family names of MacCorran and Mac Oran are present in other parts in Scotland, predominantly in Argyllshire. The surname of MacCorran is also derived from similar origins and is found on the islands of Islay and Colonsay in Argyllshire, where they are considered to be a sept of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, a branch of Clan Donald (or Clan MacDonald) in the Scottish Highlands.^[15] According to the official sept list of Clan Donald, the name is derived from the Gaelic MacGille Odhrain, meaning "son of the servant of St. Odhran".^[15] In addition, there is a medieval chapel called St Oran's Chapel that is located on the island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. This chapel is dedicated to Oran of Iona, who was a companion of Saint Columba in Iona.

The name of Mac Oran is said to be a sept of Clan Campbell. In the sources provided by the Clan Campbell Society (North America), it is the same rendering of MacCorran, or more accurately, McCorran.^[16] According to family tradition, a young Campbell of Melfort took the alias name of McOran, after having killed a man named "MacColl" in the later seventeenth century. Having to leave Argyll, he took under the servitude of the Earl in Menteith, who in return awarded him a farm in Inchanoch. He married a Miss Haldane, the niece to Haldane of Lanrick, and the family prospered. Once they were away at sea, they reassumed the names of Campbell, having connections in Argyllshire.^[17]

There appears to be a documented name of Dugald M'Corran that appears in Fernoch, Kilmelford in 1698.^[16]

Ireland

In Ireland, the name is a variation of the last name Curran, which is Gaelic for O'Corraidhin or "descendant of Corraidhin", a personal name from a diminutive form of the byname derived from "corradh", meaning "spear".^[18] Corrin may also represent anglicized forms of Mac Corraidhin, meaning "little spear".