Show ContentsCarlin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish name Carlin 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 Carlin family

The surname Carlin 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 Carlin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carlin research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1535, 1568, 1670, 1738 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Carlin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carlin 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 Carlin 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 Carlin 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 Carlin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carlin Ranking

In the United States, the name Carlin is the 3,073rd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Carlin is ranked the 4,037th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2


Carlin 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 Carlin family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Carlin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Carlin, his wife and their two children who arrived in South Carolina in 1752
Carlin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Carlin, who arrived in Louisiana in 1805-1809 3
  • William Carlin, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1812 3
  • Francis M. Carlin, who settled in New York in 1812
  • Francis M Carlin, aged 48, who landed in New York in 1812 3
  • Henry Carlin, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1812 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carlin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carlin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Jean Carlin, who settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1752
  • Jeanne Carlin, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Carlin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Catherine Carlin, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Bartley" in 1833
  • Ann Carlin, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1847

Carlin migration to Australia +

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

Carlin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Bridget Carlin, aged 24, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Duke of Wellington" 4
  • Bridget Carlin, aged 24, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Duke Of Wellington" in 1849 4
  • Sarah Carlin, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Stratheden" in 1850 5
  • Daniel Carlin, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Marion" 6
  • Thomas Carlin, aged 31, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Aliquis"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carlin 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:

Carlin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Celia Carlin a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Romulus" in 1862
  • Mary A. Carlin, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Nations" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Carlin (post 1700) +

  • George Denis Patrick Carlin (1937-2008), American Grammy Award and three-time American Comedy Award winning, six-time Primetime Emmy nominated stand-up comedian, actor, and author
  • Lynn Carlin (b. 1938), born Mary Lynn Reynolds, an American Academy Award nominated actress, known for Faces (1968), Taking Off (1971) and Dead of Night (1974)
  • Leo P. Carlin (1908-1999), American politician, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 1953 to 1962
  • John William Carlin (b. 1940), American politician, 40th Governor of Kansas (1979-1987)
  • David R. Carlin Jr. (b. 1938), American politician, professor of sociology and philosophy, and author
  • Paul Nestor Carlin (b. 1931), American businessman, United States Postmaster General from 1985 to 1986
  • Luke Christopher Carlin (b. 1980), American Major League Baseball catcher
  • Charles Creighton Carlin (1866-1938), American politician, U.S. representative from Virginia
  • Bob Carlin (b. 1953), American old-time banjo player and singer
  • Chris Carlin (b. 1972), American on-air radio personality
  • ... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. George V Carlin (b. 1904), English Lieutenant-Commander (S) serving for the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve from Oxon, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 7
North Sea Flood
  • Eileen Carlin, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
  • James Matthew Carlin, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953


The Carlin 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.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The DUKE OF WELLINGTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Duke%20of%20Wellington.htm
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The STRATHEDEN 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Stratheden.htm
  6. South Australian Register Tuesday 12th December 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marion 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marion1854.shtml
  7. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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