472 BERKERY members around the world

BERKERY Family History

In his book "Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall" i.e., "Irish and English Surnames", published in 1923, Fr. Woulfe states that the name Berkery is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic Mac Bearthagra. The Gaelic prefix "Mac" means "son of", plus the personal byname Bearthagra, a compound of "bear" meaning "sharp", plus "tagra", pleading. The name, chiefly found in the Munster counties of Tipperary and Limerick, has a number of variant spellings including Berecry, Berracree, Berkerry and Berachry. On March 15th 1768, John Berkery, an infant, was christened in St.