Surname Carol - Meaning and Origin
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Carol: What does the surname Carol mean?
The last name Carol is of Anglo-Saxon origins and is believed to be derived from the Middle English word, Carle. This word was likely used as a personal name; however, it eventually became a surname.
The name Carol is thought to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon word, Ceorl. This term was used to denote a person of low social rank or a worker. It likely came to be a surname through its usage as a form of formal address.
The literal meaning of the name Carol is "free man" or "free peasant", as it can be derived from the old Norse words, karl or karlr, which mean “free man” or “free peasant” respectively.
It can also be interpreted as a combination of two names, Caroline and Charles. Many families may have adopted the name, and spelling variations, generation after generation.
Carol is a surname that has been passed down through generations, with a meaningful and unique origin story. Its unique roots and a variety of interpretations serves to remind us all of our individual identities and of the struggles our ancestors overcame.
Order DNA origin analysisCarol: Where does the name Carol come from?
The last name Carol is most commonly found in the United States and Canada today. According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2018, Carol was ranked 12,553 in terms of popularity out of a possible 150,000 last names. The vast majority of the people who have this last name live in the United States, 2.3 out of every 1000 people, while approximately 0.18 out of every 1000 people in Canada have the last name Carol.
The last name Carol has its origins from the English and French language. In England it is derived from the Middle English personal name Karle, itself derived from the Germanic name Karl, meaning “free man”. In France it is derived from the personal name Charles, itself derived from the Germanic name Karl. It is likely that the last name Carol emerged in England during the Middle Ages.
The name Carol was taken up by immigrants to the United States and Canada during the late 1700s and continued to be popular up to the 20th century. Today, its popularity remains fairly middle-of-the-road among other last names. It is most common in the states of California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, as well as the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia in Canada.
Though not overly common, Carol is still a recognizable name today, a testament to its origins in England and France hundreds of years ago.
Variations of the surname Carol
The surname Carol is derived from the Latin word “Carolus”, meaning “man, warrior”. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Karol, Carola, Carole, Carolina, Charol, Carrol, Carolus, Caroll, Charoll, Karrol, Carolli, Karrolyn, Charrolyn and Carolynn.
Carol is sometimes also thought to be derived from the ancient Germanic surname Charlemagne, which itself means “Charles the Great”. Variants, spellings and surnames of this origin can include Karl, Carle, Charley, Charls, Carly, Charly, Karle, Carlin, Charlin, Karlyn, Carlyn, Charlyn and Carlyne.
There are also many variations of the ordinary Carol surname that can be found in different countries where it has been adopted or translated into local languages. Such as Curta in Spanish, Karlovich in Slavic, Carlucci in Italian, Karlson in Scandinavian, and Karlman in Hungarian.
Carol is a popular surname in the United States, placed among the top 500 most commonly used American surnames. The Carol family name can be found throughout many English speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Carol
- Carol Burnett: American actress, comedian, singer, writer
- Carol Channing: American actress, comedian, singer, dancer
- Carol Alt: American model
- Carol Bruce: American actress
- Carol Lawrence: American actress
- Carol Kane: American actress
- Carol Woods: American singer
- Carol Lombard: American actress
- Carol Kaye: American musician
- Carol Brady: American actress