Follow
The name Roark is quite intriguing to many and even rather unusual - some will say. In one account regarding just how the name came to be, it is popularly thought to have originated in Ireland in the 800's AD - with the Ro meaning "very" and arc meaning "swift and small".
However, the more popular pronunciation of the name, Roark, seems more fitting to have been derived during or about the time of Noah which could be a second account. If the first account is taken as the unequivocal beginning, the original bearer with the surname "Roarc" died in 893 AD and handed the surname down to his descendants. This original Roark or Roarc had a son named Art or Arthur. The son, Art, was the first known son to take Roark as his given surname. Thus, as shown in the King's decree, he officially became Art ui Roarc when written in Gaelic.
The "ui" has the sound of "O" and just as in the prefix Mac and Mc, it means "descended from"; that is - think of his name this way: Arthur "Decended from" Roarc. Therefore, some descendants from the original bearer of the original name "Roarc" continue to use the "O" prefix.
A third account of the origin of Roark shows it to be derived over 2350 years ago. That is, if it can be established that the families of Milesuis and Hermon are our common ancestors. So, regarding the origin of the name, Roark - the jury is still out, so to speak.
There are several variations of last name "Roark". A few of these would be: Roarke; Roaire; Ruirck; Rourke; Rourk; Ruark; Rook; Rooke; Rorke; Rork.