Show ContentsCharless History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Charless

What does the name Charless mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Charless comes from Carl, derived from the personal name which means man. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the German (Saxon) word "carl" meaning "strong, stout, courageous, and valiant." 1 "It is rarely found as a forename before the reign of Charles I.' 2

Early Origins of the Charless family

The surname Charless was first found in Suffolk where Edward Charles was recorded the 1273. The same Hundredorum Rolls also included Charles (without surname), Kent; William Charle, Norfolk; Alan Charle, Cambridgeshire; Ida Carle, Cambridgeshire; Ralph Carles, Cambridgeshire; and William Carolus, Norfolk. 3

Early History of the Charless family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Charless research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1208, 1253, 1482, 1550, 1569, 1613, 1688 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Charless History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Charless Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Charless has appeared include Charles, Carles, St. Charles and others.

Early Notables of the Charless family

Nicholas Charles or Carles (d. 1613), English herald, stated by Noble to have been son of a London butcher named George Carles, and grandson of Richard Carles of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. "William Careless or Carlos...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Charless Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Charless family to Ireland

Some of the Charless family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Charless family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Charless arrived in North America very early: the family who settled at Brimfield, Massachusetts, about the year 1640. Dorothie Charles settled in Virginia in 1635; and Evan Charles settled in Antigua in 1679. John Charles settled in Virginia in 1634.



The Charless 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: Virtus auget honores
Motto Translation: Virtue increases honour.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. 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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