Show ContentsCarite History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Carite

What does the name Carite mean?

The name Carite has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in or near to the charity, which was either a dispensary of charity or a hospital that was connected to the church. The surname has Latin origins in the form of Caritatem, which means kindness, generosity and humanity.

Early Origins of the Carite family

The surname Carite was first found in Yorkshire where the Close Rolls, 3 Edward I (during the third year of King Edward I's reign) listed: William de la Charity and J. John Charite. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Ricardus Charyte; Willelmus Charite; and Thomas Charite. 1

Early History of the Carite family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carite research. Another 222 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1148, 1185, 1195, 1203, 1379, 1422, 1436, 1500, 1502, 1612 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Carite History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carite Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Carite have been found, including Charity, Caritet, Carite, Charite, Charyte, Charitie and many more.

Early Notables of the Carite family

William Charite (1422-1502), the Prior of St. Mary's Abbey in Leicestershire. He was a monkish writer who compiled a register of St. Mary's Abbey, Leicester. "The register ('Rentale Novum Generale Mon. B. M. de Pratis Leycestrie') contains the rent-roll of the abbey, affording the means of estimating the depreciation of...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carite Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Carite family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Carite, or a variant listed above: Philip Charitie who arrived in Grenada in 1774.



  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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