Surname Carolan - Meaning and Origin
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Carolan: What does the surname Carolan mean?
The last name Carolan is thought to have originated among the Gaelic Irish. Carolan is a Normanized form of the Irish Gaelic word “O’Carolan”, which means a descendant or grandson of Carolan. Therefore, this last name was likely derived from the given name Carolan. Historically, this name is more commonly found in the Province of Connacht, Ireland, particularly in counties such as Roscommon, Mayo and Galway.
The origin of the given name Carolan is likely derived from the Old Norse word “Karol” meaning “man, warrior”, which is in turn descended from the Latin “Carolus”.
Traditionally, the name Carolan is associated with the Irish bard Turlough O’Carolan, who was born in County Meath in 1670 and is considered to be Ireland's most famous harpist and composer. During his lifetime, O’Carolan composed hundreds of harp-based tunes and was well-known for his melodies and songs which were later written down and put to print.
The Carolan name is typically associated with Irish heritage and continues to be found throughout Ireland and throughout the Irish diaspora. To this day, many people with the last name Carolan continue to honor the legacy of Turlough O'Carolan through their involvement in Irish music and culture.
Order DNA origin analysisCarolan: Where does the name Carolan come from?
The last name Carolan is most commonly found in Ireland and other British Isles countries. It is especially prevalent in the counties of Galway, Mayo, and Clare in Ireland.
The name itself is believed to have originated around the time of the Anglo Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Eochaidhe or O'Cearailain, which was the old Irish form of Carolan. This means "descendant of Cearail, warrior".
As well as Ireland, the surname has also spread to other countries, mainly those with Irish emigration such as Canada, the US, and Australia.
Carolan is typical of English-speaking countries, especially those with larger Irish-American populations, such as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
In Ireland, the surname can still be found mainly in the counties of Galway, Mayo, and Clare, some of the oldest counties in the country. Galway is particularly associated with it, as it is located close to where the Anglo-Norman invasion started back in the 12th century.
Although Carolan is much less common in other countries than in Ireland, there is still a large contingent of people throughout the world who share the surname. Wherever snapshots of the Irish diaspora can be found, the Carolan name is usually there as well.
Variations of the surname Carolan
The surname Carolan is derived from the Irish name Ó Cearbhalláin, which is the anglicized form of the Gaelic name "O'Cearbhallain", which is derived from the Gaelic word "cearbhall", meaning "a quarter". The surname is found most commonly in Leinster and Ulster in Ireland.
Variants of the surname Carolan include the surnames O'Carolan, O'Carolan, Carlin, MacCarolan, MacCarline, MacCarley, Carnell, Carrol, Carrel, Carol, Carolan, Caroll, Corral, Correll, Correlly, Corrillo, O'Corran, Karolan, Karolanne, Carolyne, Karolyne, Razana, Razane, and Sharessa.
Spellings of the surname Carolan include variants such as Corlan, Corlene, Corlin, Karolen, Karolene, Karolin, Karolyn, Carolan, and Karrylen.
Carolan is also found combined with other surnames to create additional surnames such as Carney Holdings, Marian Carrolan and Daniel O'Carolan, for example.
In conclusion, the surname Carolan has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. This is due to its connection and derivation from the Gaelic name Ó Cearbhalláin.
Famous people with the name Carolan
- Terry Carolan: Former professional Canadian Football League player
- Patrice Carolan: Former journalist and Rugby commentator
- Bayley Carolan: Artist, multimedia designer, and illustrator
- Anne Carolan: Actress, best known for her role as Alice in the television series Step by Step
- John Carolan: American jazz drummer
- Richard Carolan: Newspaper columnist and investigative reporter
- Roger Carolan: Mayor of Butler, Pennsylvania
- Malachy Carolan: Irish Traditional musician and composer
- Valarie Ann Carolan: Poet, author, and teacher
- Graham Carolan: English footballer, who plays for Nottingham Forest F.C.