This interesting surname is of Scottish and Irish origin, and has two possible sources. Firstly, it may be locational from a place in the parish of Inveresk, Lothian, first recorded in the form "Crebarrin", derived from the Gaelic "craobh", tree and "barran", hedge. Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. Secondly, it may be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'Cairbre" and "MacCairbre", meaning "descendant" and "son of Cairbre", a byname perhaps meaning "charioteer". The principal sept of O'Cairbre belonged to Co. Westmeath, where they were chiefs in the barony of Clonlonan; the name was also numerous in Co. Waterford. The earliest recording of the surname in Ireland was of Eneas MacCarbery, recorded in Archbishop Swain's Register in 1427. In the 16th Century the surname was well recorded in Counties Monaghan and Longford. Recorded in the Scottish Church Registers is the marriage of William Carberry and Jean McCraken on June 1st 1828 at Lanarkshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gilleberti de Crebarrin, which was dated circa 1230, at Crebarrin, Inveresk, Midlothian, Scotland, during the reign of King Alexander 11 of Scotland, 1214 - 1249. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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