Quirk is an Irish and Manx surname, primarily a variant of Quirke.EtymologyThe name is an Anglicized form of the original Irish Ó Cuirc, meaning "descendant of Corc". Corc was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word curc, meaning "tuft of hair" or "heart". Some bearers of the name may also trace their ancestry to the variant Ó Cuirc from the Manx tradition. Interestingly, the surname was sometimes Anglicized as "Oates" due to an erroneous association with the Irish word coirce ("oats").VariantsBesides Quirk and Quirke, the original Irish form Ó Cuirc is also found. In some cases, Quirk may be a shortened variant of McGuirk.Meaning: Descendant of Corc ("heart" or "tuft of hair")Origin: Irish, ManxType: SurnameUsage regions: Ireland, Isle of Man