The most common origin of
the Barry surname comes from De Barri, a French Norman name which was derived
from a small village in Normandy known as La Barre . After the Norman conquest
of England in the 11th Century, a Norman Knight named Odo De Barri received
land in Wales, including a large island off the coast called Barry Island.
On the mainland, De Barri built Manorbier
Castle which was the home of the Barry Family for over two hundred years.
The first bearer of the surname to arrive in Ireland was
Robert de Barri, one of the original band of Norman Knights who landed at
Bannow in Co. Wexford in May 1169.
In the 1180's, more Barry's
starting leaving the Welsh coasts and began settling in Cork, Irleand. It
was here in Cork that the Barry's thrived, becoming one of that county's
major lineages with three major branches and many minor ones. These include
derivatives such as: De Barry, Barrymore, Barryroes, O'Barry and of course,
Barry. The senior line, the earls of Barrymore, became extinct in 1823 but
the name Barry remains numerous in Cork and surrounding counties.
However, not all Irish Barrys descended from De Barri. Some modern Barrys were originally called Ó'Beargha `descendants of Beargh'. Beargh was a nick-name meaning `robber'.