Curtain

Curtain
This is an Irish surname of great antiquity. It derives from the pre 12th century Gaelic name "MacCuirtin", which like the majority of Irish surnames was originally a nickname for the first chief of the clan. The word "cuirtin" translates as hunchback, and therefore it is reasonable to assume that this was a physical description, but not necessarily so. The surname is now recorded in several spellings including: MacCurtin, McCurtin, Curtin, Curtain, and Curtayne, and possibly Cartin, Cartan, and Carton. These latter forms are however more usually derivatives of the Northern Irish MacCartan, a surname of a completedly different origin, being derived from the ancient personal name Airt or Art, short forms of Arthur. The MacCuirtin clan originates from the barony of Corcomroe, County Clare, where it is said that they were the hereditary tutors or ollaves to the famous O'Brien clan of Thomond. However it is now in County Cork that the name is to be found in any numbers. It is recorded that in "Petty's Census of Ireland" in 1659 the name was spelt as both MacCurtaine and O'Curtaine. In both cases the prefix is now rare, but the correct form is with "Mac". Early important clan nameholders include: Andrew MacCurtin (1680 - 1755), a historian, poet, Thomas MacCurtin, who was the mayor of Cork during the war of Independance in 1919 - 1920, and John Joseph Curtin, (1885 - 1945), the former Prime Minister of Australia. The earliest proven surname recording is probably that of Teag Buidhe MacCurtaine, of Ennistymon, County Clare, in 1659. This was during the "reign" of Richard Cromwell, the son of Oliver Cromwell, 1658 - 1660.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • curtain — [kʉrt′ n] n. [ME & OFr cortine < LL(Ec) cortina, lit. a cauldron, enclosing circle of a theater, curtain (< IE base * (s)ker , to CURVE); used in Vulg. instead of L cors, cohors (see COURT) to translate Gr aulaia, curtain (esp. in a… …   English World dictionary

  • Curtain — Cur tain (k[^u]r t[i^]n; 48), n. [OE.cortin, curtin,fr. OF. cortine, curtine, F. courtine, LL. cortina, curtian (in senses 1 and 2), also, small court, small inclosure surrounded by walls, from cortis court. See {Court}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curtain — (n.) c.1300, from O.Fr. cortine curtain, tapestry, drape, blanket, from L.L. cortina curtain, but in classical Latin round vessel, cauldron, from L. cortem (older cohortem) enclosure, courtyard (see COHORT (Cf. cohort)). The confusion apparently… …   Etymology dictionary

  • curtain — ► NOUN 1) a piece of material suspended at the top to form a screen, hung at a window in pairs or between the stage and auditorium of a theatre. 2) (the curtain) the rise or fall of a stage curtain between acts or scenes. 3) (curtains) informal a …   English terms dictionary

  • curtain up — noun (theatre) The beginning of a performance • • • Main Entry: ↑curtain …   Useful english dictionary

  • Curtain — Cur tain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Curtained} (k[^u]r t[i^]nd; 48); p. pr. & vb. n. {Curtaining}.] To inclose as with curtains; to furnish with curtains. [1913 Webster] So when the sun in bed Curtained with cloudy red. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Curtain Up! — (2009) is an announced British stage comedy by Peter Quilter, a reworking of his own all female first play Respecting Your Piers[1] (1998). It is to be re published by Samuel French Ltd. The show is popular[citation needed] with amateur groups in …   Wikipedia

  • curtain — index blind (obscure), camouflage, cessation (termination), cloak, conceal, cover (conceal) …   Law dictionary

  • curtain — [n] window covering blind, decoration, drape, drapery, film, hanging, jalousie, oleo, portiere, rag, roller, screen, shade, shield, shroud, shutter, valance, veil, Venetian blind; concept 444 …   New thesaurus

  • Curtain — For other uses, see Curtain (disambiguation). For religious use, see Veil. Curtains at a Bed Breakfast. A curtain (sometimes known as a drape, mainly in the United States) is a piece of cloth intended to block or obscure light, or drafts, or… …   Wikipedia

  • curtain — curtainless, adj. /kerr tn/, n. 1. a hanging piece of fabric used to shut out the light from a window, adorn a room, increase privacy, etc. 2. a movable or folding screen used for similar purposes. 3. Chiefly New Eng. a window shade. 4. Theat. a …   Universalium

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