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In ancient Scotland, Carlill was a Strathclyde-Briton name for someone who lived in the city of Carlisle in the county of Cumberland.

Early Origins of the Carlill family

The surname Carlill was first found in Cumberland, at Carlisle. "It was anciently called Caer-Luil, or Caer Leol, signifying "the city of Luil," a British potentate, who is reputed to have been its founder. The Romans, on selecting it for a station, changed the name to Lugovallum, which is probably derived from Lugus or Lucu, a "tower" or "fort," in the Celtic tongue, and Vallum, in allusion to Adrian's vallum, which passed near. From its earliest foundation till the union of the English and Scottish kingdoms, the town suffered those shocks of incursive warfare to which, as a border town, it was peculiarly exposed, and by which it was repeatedly overwhelmed. " 1

"The surname crossed the Border, the spelling undergoing slight changes. Still it is easy to see that Thomas Carlyle was born and brought up not very far from the city whence his ancestors originally sprang." 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 pointed to the wide spelling variations that were in use at that time: Thomas de Carlell; Willelmus de Karleyll, osllr; and Walterus de Carlhill. 2

Slightly further to the north in Scotland, "the first of the name who appears in Scotland is Odard de Carlyle, who witnessed a charter by Uchtred, son of Fergus, lord of Galloway, to the Hospital of St. Peter at York between 1158-1164. He appears to have also held the land of Hoddam as he is described as Odard de Hodelme. Evdone de Karleolo or Eudo de Karliol, c. 1207, was witness to a charter by Eustace de Vescy of 20l. per annum out of the mill of Sprouiston to the Abbey of Kelso." 3

Early History of the Carlill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carlill research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1551, 1593, 1622, 1629, 1664, 1680, 1682, 1691, 1795, 1881 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Carlill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carlill Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Carlill has been spelled Carlisle, Carlysle, Carleill, Carlyle, Carlile, Carliell and many more.

Early Notables of the Carlill family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Christopher Carleill (1551?-1593), English military and naval commander, son of Alexander Carleill, citizen and vintner of London. Lodowick Carlell (fl. 1629-1664), was an English dramatist, who held various positions at court under Charles I and II. 4 Robert Carliell (d. 1622?), was a poet and author of a scarce volume entitled 'Britaines Glorie; or an Allegorical Dreame with the Exposition thereof: containing the Heathens Infidelitie, the Turkes Blasphemie, the Popes Hypocrisie, Amsterdams Varietie, the Church of...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carlill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Carlill family to Ireland

Some of the Carlill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Carlill family

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them: John Carlisle who settled in Augusta Virginia in 1730; James Carlisle settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1821 with his wife Mary and four children.

Contemporary Notables of the name Carlill (post 1700) +

  • Rear Admiral John Hildred Carlill OBE DL (1925-2015), British Royal Navy officer, President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich (1980-1982)
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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