Caroline History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Irish name Caroline claims descent from the O'Connors in Donegal where "Carlan" (from the Irish "carla" meaning a "wool-comb" and "an" meaning "one who" which roughly translates as "one who combs wool") was in Irish O'Carlain or O'Caireallain.
Early Origins of the Caroline family
The surname Caroline was first found in County Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where the name is descended from the O'Connor stem, Kings of Connaught and the family became early associated with the county of Tyrone, and in neighboring counties.
Early History of the Caroline family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Caroline research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1535, 1568, 1670, 1738 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Caroline History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Caroline Spelling Variations
Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Caroline are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Carlin, Carling, O'Carolan, Carline, Karlin, Kerling, Kerline, Carlind, Carlynde, Carlyne, Carlyn, Carrlin, Carrling, Kerlynd, Kerlynde, Karlynd, Karline, Kearlin, Kearline, Kearlynd, Carolan, Carrolan, Carolyn, Carolyne, Caroline, Carolynde, Caraline, Carroline, Carlan, Carland, Carlon, Carlone, Karolin, Karolan, Karrolin and many more.
Early Notables of the Caroline family
Notable amongst the family name at this time was Hugh O'Carolan, Bishop of Clogher from 1535-1568. Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) was a blind early Irish harper, composer and singer, known for his gift for melodic composition. Born in Nobber, County Meath, his father took a job with the MacDermott Roe family of Alderford House, thereby giving Turlough an education.
By the time he was eighteen, he was blinded by smallpox and by the age of twenty-one, he was given a horse and...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Caroline Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Caroline migration to the United States +
The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Caroline family relocated to North American shores quite early:
Caroline Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Owen Caroline, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1767 1
- Patrick Caroline, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1767 1
Caroline migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Caroline Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Kitty Caroline, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
- John Caroline, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
- Jane Caroline, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
- Bess Caroline, aged 14, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
- Rose Caroline, aged 10, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Caroline migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Caroline Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- T. Caroline, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1849 2
- Catherine Caroline, aged 29, a general servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Epaminondas" 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Caroline (post 1700) +
- James C. "J.C." Caroline (1933-2017), American football player, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
- Countess Louisa Maximilienne Caroline (1752-1824), Countess of Albany and wife of Prince Charlie
- Nanci Caroline Griffith (1953-2021), American singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Austin, Texas, who lived in Nashville, Tennessee, winner of the 1994 Grammy Award for the album Other Voices, Other Rooms
- Lindsey Caroline Vonn (b. 1984), American former World Cup alpine ski racer on the US Ski Team. She won four World Cup overall championships. She won the gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics, in 2016, she won her 20th World Cup crystal globe title, the overall record for men or women. She is the most successful American ski racer and considered one of the greatest of all skiers. In 2010, she received the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award and was the United States Olympic Committee's sportswoman of the year
- Rosamund Caroline Bosanquet (1940-2013), British cellist, music teacher, and composer
- Charlotte Caroline Richardson (1775-1850), English poetess, born at York, of poor parents named Smith; she married a shoemaker named Richardson in 1802, but he died of consumption two years later and later she became blind
- Ysabel Caroline Birkbeck (1859-1934), née Elwes, a British toymaker and philanthropist, best known as founder of the notable Westacre Dolls' House company
- Lindsey Caroline Kildow (b. 1984), birth name of Lindsey Caroline Vonn, an American World Cup alpine ski racer on the US Ski Team, winner of four World Cup overall championships
- Lady Ann Caroline Faber (1923-2016), British aristocrat
- Vicki Caroline Cheatwood, American playwright and screenwriter
The Caroline 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: Felis demulcta mitis
Motto Translation: A stroked cat is gentle.
Citations +
- 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)
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constance.htm
- South Australian Register Monday 26th December 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Epaminondas 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/epaminondas1853.shtml