Show ContentsCarden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Carden

What does the name Carden mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Carden comes from when the family resided in the village of Carden in the county of Cheshire. This surname is derived from the Old English word cairn which was a rock structure, often as simple as a small pile of stones, serving as a memorial or marker of an important place. The surname may have also used been used as a nickname for a stubborn person. In such a case, it would have been derived from the word Cardon, meaning thistle.

Early Origins of the Carden family

The surname Carden was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Carden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carden research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1086 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Carden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carden Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Carden include Carden, Cardon, Cardin, Cawarden and others.

Early Notables of the Carden family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Sir William Carden of Molesey and later at Templemore in Tipperary

Carden Ranking

In the United States, the name Carden is the 3,533rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Carden family to Ireland

Some of the Carden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Carden migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Carden Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Carden, who landed in Maryland in 1740 2
Carden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • N Carden, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
  • N. Carden, who settled in New York in 1811
  • Henry, James, John, Patrick, Richard and William Carden, all within ten years
  • Edward Carden, aged 23, who landed in Missouri in 1844 2
  • Patrick Carden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1851
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carden migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carden Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Edward Carden, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Ugoni" from Belfast, Ireland

Carden migration to Australia +

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

Carden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Carden who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Carden (post 1700) +

  • Billy Carden (1924-2004), American stock car racing pioneer and an early NASCAR competitor
  • Cap Robert Carden (1866-1935), U.S. Representative from Kentucky
  • William T. Carden, American politician, U.S. Attorney for Hawaii, 1922-24 4
  • Tim Carden, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New Jersey 7th District, 2002 4
  • Otie Carden, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Wyoming County, 1933-34 4
  • Moses W. Carden, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Alabama, 1900, 1904 4
  • Harold L. III Carden, American politician, Mayor of Atascadero, California, 1997-98 4
  • Cap Robert Carden (1866-1935), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Kentucky, 1931-35 4
  • Sir John Valentine Carden (1892-1935), British tank and vehicle designer
  • Joan Maralyn Carden (b. 1937), Australian operatic and concert soprano

Fraterville mine
  • Mr. Charles Carden (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 5


The Carden 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: Fide et amore
Motto Translation: By fidelity and love.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).


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