Carrot Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Carrot history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Carrot history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Carrot family originally lived in Cornwall. This name is derived from Welsh surname Caeriw, meaning dweller at the fort on the hill.

However, "we come upon a disputed etymology. Mr Carew in his 'Survey of Cornwall' tells us that 'his first ancestor came out of France with William the Conqueror by the name Karrow.' Karo, or Caro, is a Cornish word signifying hart or deer. Dugdale and most other authorities, believe that the family is denominated from Carew Castle in Pembrokeshire." 1

Early Origins of the Carrot family

The surname Carrot was first found in Cornwall where the family first established themselves after the Conquest. The family are descended from "Gerald, son of Walter de Windsor, who lived in the reign of Henry I, which Walter was son of Otho, in the time of William the Conqueror." 2

"In the [parish of Antony in East, Cornwall] have resided for several centuries, many branches of the well known and justly respected family of Carew. Richard Carew, Esq. the celebrated historian of Cornwall, informs us in his Survey of the county, that his ancestors were originally from the continent, and that they came into this kingdom with William the Conqueror. Of the genealogy, progress, and connexion of his family with others, in passing down the stream of time, a detailed account may be found in his work, from page 102 to 106. " 3

Carew Castle is located in Pembrokeshire, Wales that still stands today and has been held by the Carew family since it was built by Gerald de Winsor who took the name "de Carew" about 1100. " About the year 1300, by the marriage of Sir John de Carru with the coheiress of Mohun, this ancient family first became connected with the county of Devon." 2

One branch of the family was found at Beddington in Surrey from ancient times. "The church [of Beddington], beautifully situated in Beddington Park, close to the ancient mansion, is a handsome edifice with a fine tower, chiefly in the later English style; it was built in the reign of Richard II., and contains some monuments to the memory of the Carew family." 4

"Harrowbear, or Harroburrow, [in the parish of Calstock, Cornwall] formerly a seat of the Carews of Antony, is now a farm house, and is the property of Mr. John Worth." 3

Early History of the Carrot family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carrot research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1280, 1323, 1324, 1362, 1363, 1380, 1513, 1514, 1545, 1551, 1555, 1568, 1575, 1580, 1590, 1595, 1609, 1620, 1622, 1626, 1629, 1635, 1639, 1643, 1644, 1660, 1672, 1692, 1693, 1745, 1759 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Carrot History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrot Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Carew, Carrott, Carrow, Carrowe and others.

Early Notables of the Carrot family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Hugo Carew, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1380; Lord George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes (1555-1629), who served under Queen Elizabeth I during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was appointed President of Munster; Richard Carew (1555-1620) was a Cornish translator and antiquary; Thomas Carew (1595-1639), one of the best of the Cavalier poets, courtier of King Charles I; Sir George Carew, captain of the Mary Rose, was killed in her sinking in 1545 against a French attack; Sir Richard Carew, 1st Baronet (ca. 1580-1643), of Antony in Cornwall, an English writer and...
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carrot Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrot Ranking

In France, the name Carrot is the 8,833^rd most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Carrot family to Ireland

Some of the Carrot family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 209 words (15 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrot migration to the United States +

Early records show that people bearing the name Carrot arrived in North America quite early:

Carrot Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Carrot, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1763 6

Carrot migration to Australia +

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

Carrot Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Carrot, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke