Contents [hide]

Carleton History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Carleton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Wales
Ireland

The name Carleton can be traced to the ancient Celtic culture of Wales. The name comes from when someone lived in any of such places as Carlton in Bedfordshire, Cambridge, Durham, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Suffolk, or the East Riding of Yorkshire, or in one of the places called Carleton in Cumberland Lancashire, Norfolk, or the West Riding of Yorkshire. One of the reasons for the numerous entries of the place name is that the name literally means "farmstead or estate of the freemen" 1

Early Origins of the Carleton family

The surname Carleton was first found in Herefordshire, but one family was found at Whitton in Shropshire in early times. "Here is a farmhouse formerly a seat of the Charltons, where James II. visited: a chamber in it contains some superior tapestry of that period." 2

Early History of the Carleton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carleton research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1268, 1300, 1336, 1353, 1360, 1361, 1362, 1369, 1374, 1401, 1559, 1560, 1562, 1573, 1599, 1601, 1605, 1618, 1619, 1628, 1632, 1638, 1642, 1654, 1660, 1661, 1672, 1673, 1678, 1679, 1685 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Carleton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carleton Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. As a result, people could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Carleton name over the years has been spelled Carleton, Carlton, Charleton, Charlton and others.

Early Notables of the Carleton family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Sir John Carleton 'of the Bower', notorious Border fighter
Richard Carleton (1560-1638), English composer
Dudley Carleton, Viscount Dorchester (1573-1632), English statesman and diplomat
Sir Dudley Carleton (1599-1654), nephew of the Viscount, diplomat and Clerk of the Privy Council
George Carleton (1559-1628), Bishop of Llandaff (1618 to 1619)
Guy Carleton (1605-1685), and Anglican clergyman, Dean of Carlisle (1660 to 1661), Bishop of Bristol (1672 to 1679) and Bishop of Chichester (1678 to 1685). On the infamous side, Mary Carleton (1642-1...

Carleton Ranking

In the United States, the name Carleton is the 7,494^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Carleton family to Ireland

Some of the Carleton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 141 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carleton migration to the United States +

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Carleton:

Carleton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Carleton, who arrived in Rowley, Massachusetts in 1638 4
Mr. Edward Carleton, (b. 1606), aged 32, British settler traveling aboard the ship "John of London" arriving in Boston, Massachuetts in 1638 5
Mrs. Ellen Carleton, (nee Newton), (b. 1614), aged 24, British settler traveling aboard the ship "John of London" arriving in Boston, Massachuetts in 1638 5
Mr. John Carleton, (b. 1630), aged 8, British settler traveling aboard the ship "John of London" arriving in Boston, Massachuetts in 1638 5
Hen Carleton, who landed in Virginia in 1642 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carleton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mark Carleton, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1711 4
Joseph Carleton, who landed in New England in 1715 4
Richard Carleton, who landed in North Carolina in 1739 4

Carleton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

M Carleton, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 4
J Carleton, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 4
William Carleton, aged 25, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1864 4

Carleton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carleton Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cormick Carleton, aged 49, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Condor" in 1838
Ellen Carleton, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1841

Carleton migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Carleton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Carleton, (b. 1814), aged 20, English stock man who was convicted in Liverpool, Lancashire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Charles James Carleton, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1839 7
Caroline J. Carleton, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Prince Regent" in 1839 7
J. Carleton, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cromwell" in 1849 8

Carleton migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Carleton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John William Carleton, (b. 1863), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 9
Mr. John Carleton, (b. 1837), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 9
Mrs. Ann Jane Carleton, (b. 1838), aged 25, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 9
Hugh Carleton, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
Mr. J. Carleton, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Hydaspes" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th October 1868 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Carleton (post 1700) +

Laura Ann "Lauri" Carleton (1957-2023), American businesswoman in Cedar Glen, California who was murdered on August 18, 2023 for flying a LGBTQ+ flag outside her clothing store
Brigadier-General Don Emerson Carleton (1899-1977), American Chief of Staff 3rd Army (1945-1946) 10
Jesse Carleton (1862-1921), American Olympic golfer who competed at the 1904 Summer Olympics
James Henry Carleton (1814-1873), American Major General for the Union army during the American Civil War
Bob Carleton (1896-1956), American pianist and composer
Donald Carleton, American Republican politician, Candidate for New Hampshire State House of Representatives from Bow, 1938 11
Charles W. Carleton, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 17th District, 1961 11
Caleb C. Carleton, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Souris, 1884 11
Algar E. Carleton, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Hong Kong, 1917; U.S. Consul in Medan, 1919; Amoy, 1920-24; Hull, 1926-29; San Salvador, 1931-32 11
Algar E. Carleton (b. 1872), American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Almeria, 1899-1910; U.S. Vice & Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong, 1910-11 11
... (Another 22 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 6th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PRINCE REGENT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839PrinceRegent.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CROMWELL 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Cromwell.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, November 3) Don Carleton. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Carleton/Don_Emerson/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html