NameCensus.

UK surname

Carl

Derived from the Old Norse word "karl," meaning a free man or a peasant landowner.

In the 1881 census there were 191 people recorded with the Carl surname, ranking it #13,224 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 333, ranked #13,670, down from #13,224 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carl is 458 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.3%.

1881 census count

191

Ranked #13,224

Modern count

333

2016, ranked #13,670

Peak year

1861

458 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carl had 191 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,224 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016, ranked #13,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 458 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Carl surname distribution map

The map shows where the Carl surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Carl surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carl over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 172 #11,682
1861 historical 458 #5,668
1881 historical 191 #13,224
1891 historical 295 #11,255
1901 historical 281 #12,167
1911 historical 226 #13,840
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 212 #17,479
1999 modern 206 #17,905
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 233 #16,590
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 221 #17,066
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 229 #16,941
2008 modern 238 #16,640
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 277 #15,595
2011 modern 267 #15,892
2012 modern 277 #15,375
2013 modern 303 #14,651
2014 modern 315 #14,334
2015 modern 322 #14,023
2016 modern 333 #13,670

Geography

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Where Carls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Rotherham, Sheffield, Purbeck and Tower Hamlets. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
2 Rotherham 024 Rotherham
3 Sheffield 064 Sheffield
4 Purbeck 004 Purbeck
5 Tower Hamlets 011 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carl

These lists show first names that appear often with the Carl surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carl

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carl, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Carl surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Carl household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Carl is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carl is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carl falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carl is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Carl, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carl

The surname Carl is of Germanic origin and derives from the Old Norse word "karl" which means "man" or "freeman". It first appeared in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Normans of Scandinavian descent settled in the country.

The name was initially concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many Scandinavian settlers had established themselves. It is believed that some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Carl can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

Over the centuries, the surname Carl has undergone various spelling variations, including Carle, Karle, and Karll. Some of these variations were influenced by local dialects and pronunciation differences. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, such as Carlisle in Cumbria and Carleton in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Carl dates back to the late 12th century, when a man named William Carl was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195. Another notable early bearer of the surname was Robert Carl, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1246.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Carl. For instance, John Carl (c. 1370-1421) was an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1416 until his death. Another notable figure was William Carl (1459-1519), an English lawyer and statesman who served as the Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VIII.

In the literary world, the surname Carl is associated with the American writer and satirist Thomas Carl Buchanan (1808-1869), who is best known for his novel "The Impudent Comedian". The name also appears in the scientific realm with the Swedish botanist and zoologist Peter Carl Fahlberg (1850-1935), who is credited with the discovery of the artificial sweetener saccharin.

Another prominent figure with the surname Carl was the British explorer and archaeologist John Carl Wilkinson (1878-1957), who is known for his expeditions to the Middle East and his excavations in Persia (modern-day Iran) and Iraq. He made significant contributions to the study of ancient civilizations in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carl families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carl surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 46 Carls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 46 2.49x
Lanarkshire 30 5.03x
Yorkshire 23 1.26x
Lancashire 15 0.69x
Staffordshire 13 2.09x
Berwickshire 7 31.35x
Kent 7 1.11x
Durham 6 1.09x
Ayrshire 5 3.62x
Essex 5 1.37x
Surrey 4 0.45x
East Lothian 3 12.29x
Warwickshire 3 0.65x
Aberdeenshire 2 1.17x
Cornwall 2 0.96x
Devon 2 0.52x
Northamptonshire 2 1.15x
Somerset 2 0.67x
Wigtownshire 2 8.17x
Cheshire 1 0.25x
Gloucestershire 1 0.28x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.79x
Leicestershire 1 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.40x
Renfrewshire 1 0.70x
Shropshire 1 0.63x
Stirlingshire 1 1.47x
Sussex 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 13 Carls recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.44x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 13 40.44x
Sheffield 12 20.63x
Govan 11 7.46x
St Margaret Pattens 10 25000.00x
Eyemouth 7 376.34x
Leeds 7 6.79x
Darlington 6 28.33x
Glasgow 6 5.67x
Beswick 5 89.45x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 76.22x
Hackney London 5 4.84x
Mile End Old Town London 5 12.74x
West Ham 5 6.22x
Bethnal Green London 4 4.99x
Dalziel 4 62.40x
Kilmarnock 4 24.36x
Limehouse London 4 19.76x
Liverpool 4 3.01x
Westminster St James 4 21.11x
Hamilton 3 18.04x
Isleworth 3 36.59x
New Monkland 3 17.02x
Paddington London 3 4.43x
St George In East London 3 17.30x
Tranent 3 90.91x
Barony 2 1.33x
Barrow In Furness 2 6.72x
Coventry St Michael 2 13.39x
Doncaster 2 14.98x
East Molesey 2 96.15x
Higher Booths 2 50.76x
Kirkinner 2 198.02x
Northampton All Sts 2 34.01x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 6.77x
St Pancras London 2 1.35x
Alverstoke 1 7.31x
Auchterless 1 73.53x
Bilton 1 93.46x
Bradford 1 2.26x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 8.29x
Buckland 1 384.62x
Clitheroe 1 15.53x
Drymen 1 109.89x
East Kilbride 1 39.22x
Fraserburgh 1 20.79x
Hopwood 1 34.97x
Islington London 1 0.56x
Lambeth 1 0.62x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.01x
Lewisham 1 2.98x
Liskeard 1 28.65x
Long Ashton 1 68.03x
Newark Upon Trent 1 11.20x
Oswestry Town 1 19.61x
Renfrew 1 21.19x
Riccarton 1 48.08x
Spital Boughton 1 1111.11x
St Albans St Stephen 1 90.09x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 12.53x
St Ives 1 24.51x
St Marylebone London 1 1.02x
Strensall 1 357.14x
Wadhurst 1 49.02x
Walcot 1 6.33x
Woolwich 1 4.30x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Carl surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Jane 4
Catherine 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Catharine 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Julius 1
Katy 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Margarett 1
Margurite 1
Martha 1
Paulina 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Thomas 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Carl surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 8
Thomas 7
William 7
George 6
Henry 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Bernard 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Albert 1
Buerger 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fritz 1
Holstein 1
Josiah 1
Michael 1
Micheal 1
Philip 1
Simion 1
Theodore 1

FAQ

Carl surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carl surname in 1881?

In 1881, 191 people were recorded with the Carl surname. That placed it at #13,224 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carl surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016. That gives Carl a modern rank of #13,670.

What does the Carl surname mean?

Derived from the Old Norse word "karl," meaning a free man or a peasant landowner.

What does the Carl map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carl bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.