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Carrol History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Carrol History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Carrol

What does the name Carrol mean?

The name Carrol has undergone many variations in the time that has passed since its genesis. In Gaelic it appeared as Cearbhaill, which is derived from the name of Cearbhal, the Lord of Ely who helped King Brian Boru lead the Irish to victory over the Danes at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Donnchad Ua Cerbaill or Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill was King of Airgíalla, fl. c. 1130-1168. Maol Ruanaidh Cam Ó Cearbhaill, sometimes Anglicized as Cam O'Kayrwill (died 10 June 1329) was a notable Irish harpist and player of the tiompan who was murdered with many others at the Braganstown Massacre.

Early Origins of the Carrol family

The surname Carrol was first found in counties Tipperary, Offaly, Monaghan and Louth. Through their connection with Cearbal, they descend from King Oilioll Olum.

There were six distinct O'Carroll septs prior to the Anglo-Norman Conquest. While four disintegrated before the end of the 13th century, the two most important septs continued. These were O'Carroll of Ely O'Carroll, from the counties of Tipperary and Offaly, and O'Carroll of Oriel, from the counties of Monagan and Louth.

While the Oriel O'Carrolls disappeared as an official sept resulting from the Anglo-Norman Conquest, the members of that sept were not scattered, but remained mainly within their ancient territories. However, the O'Carrolls of Ely O'Carroll managed to maintain their independence and heritage until the end of the 16th century, and continued to play an important role in Irish history.

They formerly held large territories in the county of Tipperary, but were confined to the area around Birr in the county of Offaly by the rise of the powerful Norman Butlers.

Early History of the Carrol family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carrol research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1014, 1172, 1451, 1600, 1602, 1625, 1661, 1673, 1711, 1720, 1735, 1737, 1789, 1792, 1815, 1832 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Carrol History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrol Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Carrol revealed many variations, including O'Carroll, Carroll, Carrel, Carrell, Carrill, Carrol, Carroll, Caryll, Garvil, Garvill and many more.

Early Notables of the Carrol family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Charles Carroll (1661-1720), often called Charles Carroll the Settler, to differentiate him from his son and grandson, was a wealthy lawyer and planter in colonial Maryland
Most Rev. John Carroll (1735-1815), was the first Catholic bishop in the USA; and Charles Carroll (1737-1832), of Carrollton signed the American Declaration of Independence. He was born in Annapolis...

Carrol Ranking

In the United States, the name Carrol is the 6,190^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Carrol migration to the United States +

Irish immigrants began to leave the English-controlled Ireland in sizable numbers during the late 18th century. Many of these Irish immigrated to British North America or the United States in the hopes of gaining their own tract of farmland. This pattern of migration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine caused a great exodus of immigrants to North America. These immigrants differed from their predecessors in that they were desperately fleeing the disease and starvation that plagued their homeland, and many were entirely destitute when they arrived in North America. Although these penniless immigrants were not warmly welcomed when they arrived, they were critical to the rapid development of the United States and what would become known as Canada. Many went to populate the western frontiers and others provided the cheap labor the new manufacturing sector and the building of bridges, roads, railways, and canals required. A thorough examination of immigration and passenger lists has revealed some of the earliest people to arrive in North America with name Carrol or one of its variants:

Carrol Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret Carrol, who arrived in Virginia in 1725 2
Talbert Carrol, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1787 2
John Carrol, who arrived in New York in 1795 2
Luke Carrol, who landed in Mississippi in 1799 2
Benjamin Carrol, who landed in Mississippi in 1799 2

Carrol Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Eliza Carrol, aged 22, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 2
Barnabas Carrol, who arrived in America in 1807 2
Robert Carrol, who arrived in America in 1808 2
Matthew Carrol, who arrived in New York in 1810 2
Michael Carrol, aged 42, who landed in Maine in 1812 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Carrol migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carrol Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Patrick Carrol, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
Biddy Carrol, aged 25, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
James Carrol, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862
William Carrol, who landed in Victoria, British Columbia in 1862

Carrol migration to Australia +

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

Carrol Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Carrol Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 3
Miss Ann Carrol who was convicted in Much Wenlock (Wenlock), Shropshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Edward" on 23rd April 1834, arriving in Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Mr. William Carrol, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 28th June 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Mr. John Carrol, British Convict who was convicted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for 14 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
John Carrol, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Theresa" in 1847 7

Carrol 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:

Carrol Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Carrol, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Sir William Eyre" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand in April 1863 8
Mr. John Carrol, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Sir William Eyre" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand in April 1863 8
James Carrol, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Resolute" in 1865
Catherine Carrol, aged 20, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Resolute" in 1865
John Carrol, aged 44, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Soukar" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Carrol (post 1700) +

Louis Leon Carrol (1923-2006), American businessman and soldier, known for giving the U.S. Senator Richard Nixon a puppy in 1952, recipient of the Bronze Star for valor and Purple Heart
Regina Carrol (1943-1992), born Regina Carol Gelfan, an American actor, wife of Al Adamson
Carrol I. Nye, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 6th District, 1961 9
Carrol Athelstone Bramich (1893-1964), Australian politician, Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1946
Carrol Orrison, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wyoming, 1980 10

Historic Events for the Carrol family +

Lady of the Lake

Miss Jane Carrol (b. 1810), traveller who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and she died in the sinking

The Carrol 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: In Fide et in Bello Fortis
Motto Translation: Strong in both faith and war.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
Convict Records Voyages to Australia. Retrieved 25th March 2022 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emerald-isle
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THERESA 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Theresa.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, May 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html