Carr History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Carr

What does the name Carr mean?

The well known Carr surname has long existed in Ireland, and originates from several distinct sources. In County Galway it was an Anglicization of Ó Carra, a patronymic name referring to a descendant of Carra; the word Carra in turn meant "spear." in County Donegal, Carr was the Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Chathair. Many who bear the Carr name in Ireland are descendents of emigrants of Scottish or English stock, who brought the name with them. In Ireland, many bearers changed their name over time from Kerrane or Kerr to Carr. In turn the name Carr in Ireland has in some instance morphed into Carey.

Early Origins of the Carr family

The surname Carr was first found in Connacht (Irish: Connachta, (land of the) descendants of Conn), where in 1095, the annals of Loch Cé list the death of Muirchertach Ua Cairre, "steward of Cenél Aengusa and royal heir of Oilech.".

Early History of the Carr family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carr research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1779, 1849 and 1866 are included under the topic Early Carr History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carr Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carr, Kerr, O'Carr, O'Carry, MacCarry, Kerrane and many more.

Early Notables of the Carr family

Sir George Carr clerk of the council of Munster
Reverend George Whitmore Carr (1779-1849) was an early advocate of temperance in Ireland

Carr World Ranking

the United States, the name Carr is the 205^th most popular surname with an estimated 126,837 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Carr is ranked the 437^th most popular surname with an estimated 10,800 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Carr is the 227^th popular surname with an estimated 14,912 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Carr as 226^th with 2,554 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Carr as 161^st with 33,307 people. 5

Carr migration to the United States +

Carr Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Carr, who landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1633 7
Caleb Carr (1624-1695), aged 11, who arrived in America in 1635 aboard the ship Elizabeth and Anne; he rose to become the 16th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1695 7
Rich Carr, aged 29, who landed in America in 1635 7
Richard Carr, aged 29, British settler who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 7
Mr. Robert Carr, (b. 1614), aged 21, British tailor travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Elizabeth and Anne" arriving in Massachusetts Bay (Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire) in 1635 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Catherine Carr, who landed in Virginia in 1702 7
Thomas Carr, who landed in Virginia in 1713 7
John Carr, who settled in Virginia in 1716
Conrad Carr, who arrived in North Carolina in 1764 7
Michael Carr, who arrived in America in 1764 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Dennis Carr, aged 22, who landed in New York, NY in 1803 7
Jos Carr, who landed in America in 1805 7
John Carr, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1806 7
Charles Carr, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 7
Alexander Carr, who landed in America in 1811 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Christian Carr, who landed in Arkansas in 1904 7

Carr migration to Canada +

Carr Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Carr at St. John's, Newfoundland in the late 1700's 9
Henry Carr, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Nicholas Carr, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
Eliza Carr, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mrs. Carr, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Carr, who landed in Prince Edward Island in 1817
Bridget Carr, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1823
David Carr, who landed in Canada in 1830
Eliza Carr, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1833
William Carr, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Ugoni" from Belfast, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Miss M Carr, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Carr migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Miss Susan Carr, British settler convicted in Bedfordshire, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 6

Second Fleet

Mr. Francis Carr, (d. 1792), British settler convicted in Derbyshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "William and Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. Roger Carr, British settler convicted in Northumberland, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Third Fleet" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. Vince Carr, (Vincent), (b. 1773), aged 17, British settler convicted in Sussex, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. Daniel Carr, British support staff, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Mr. George Carr, British settler convicted in Essex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7

Following the First and Second Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Carr Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. William Carr, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10

Carr Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Jane Carr, (b. 1769), aged 31, English house maid who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1849 11
Mr. Peter Carr, Irish convict who was convicted in Dundalk, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. William Carr, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Miss Anne Carr, (Hinchley), Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 21st January 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr.Randall Carr, (b. 1791), aged 21, British settler who was convicted in Sussex, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Fortune" on 31st October 1812, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr 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:

Carr Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Henry Carr, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842
Dr. Carr, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Berhampore" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th June 1849 16
Mrs. Carr, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Berhampore" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th June 1849 16
Mr. Carr, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 17
Mrs. Carr, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carr migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 18

Carr Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Andrew Carr, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Anne and Elizabeth" arriving in Barbados in 1635 19

Contemporary Notables of the name Carr (post 1700) +

Brendan Thomas Carr (b. 1979), American lawyer and politician, Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since 2025
Irene V Carr (b. 1918), American corporal in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
Milton Robert Carr (1943-2024), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Michigan, 1975-81, 1983-95; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1980; Candidate for U.S. Senator from Michigan, 1994 20
Caleb Carr (1955-2024), American military historian and author, son of Lucien Carr and Francesca Von Hartz
Lucien Carr (1925-2005), American editor and key member of the Beat Generation in the 1940's
William Curtis Carr III (1945-2024), American college football player, coach, and athletics administrator
Charles Lee Glenn Carr Jr. (1967-2022), American Major League Baseball outfielder who played from 1990 to 1997
Colonel Gerald Paul Carr (1932-2020), American mechanical and aeronautical engineer, United States Marine Corps officer, naval aviator, and NASA astronaut, Commander of Skylab 4
Jesse Willard "Pete" Carr (1950-2020), American guitarist, known for his work with Bob Seger, Joe Cocker, Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, The Staple Singers, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, and many more
... (Another 191 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Carr family +

Air New Zealand Flight 901

Mrs. Margaret Bell Carr (1915-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 21
Master George Carr (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
Mrs. Mary Carr (1872-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23
Mr. Ernest Allen Phipps Carr (1885-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 23
Mr. Henry Carr (1872-1914), English Miner from Farnworth& Kearsley, Lancashire,, England, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 23
... (Another 8 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Carr Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fida Clavo
Motto Translation: Sure and Nail

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
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 Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 24th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd June 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 23rd September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners