NameCensus.

UK surname

Carle

A French occupational surname referring to a peasant farmer or rustic man.

In the 1881 census there were 327 people recorded with the Carle surname, ranking it #9,147 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 503, ranked #9,950, down from #9,147 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rathen, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Muirton and Old Scone, Stockethill and Kirriemuir Landward.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carle is 551 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.8%.

1881 census count

327

Ranked #9,147

Modern count

503

2016, ranked #9,950

Peak year

2010

551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carle had 327 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,147 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 503 in 2016, ranked #9,950.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 546 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Carle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carle 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 546 #4,815
1881 historical 327 #9,147
1891 historical 453 #8,038
1901 historical 434 #8,940
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 478 #9,627
1998 modern 507 #9,486
1999 modern 508 #9,535
2000 modern 492 #9,749
2001 modern 486 #9,674
2002 modern 511 #9,484
2003 modern 505 #9,419
2004 modern 482 #9,757
2005 modern 490 #9,577
2006 modern 496 #9,535
2007 modern 517 #9,331
2008 modern 516 #9,416
2009 modern 530 #9,432
2010 modern 551 #9,354
2011 modern 529 #9,555
2012 modern 500 #9,856
2013 modern 502 #9,993
2014 modern 501 #10,063
2015 modern 498 #10,035
2016 modern 503 #9,950

Geography

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Where Carles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rathen, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Fraserburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Muirton and Old Scone, Stockethill, Kirriemuir Landward, Dingwall and Turriff. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rathen Aberdeen
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Muirton and Old Scone Perth and Kinross
2 Stockethill Aberdeen City
3 Kirriemuir Landward Angus
4 Dingwall Highland
5 Turriff Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carle, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Carle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Carle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Carle 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

Carle is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carle falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Carle

The surname CARLE originated in France and is thought to have derived from the Old French word "char," meaning cart or chariot. It is believed to have been an occupational surname given to those who worked with carts or wheeled vehicles, such as carters or cartmen.

One of the earliest records of the surname CARLE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Carle" in the county of Lincolnshire, England. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In medieval times, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Carle, Carlé, Carles, and Carlès. This variation in spelling was common before the standardization of surnames and can be attributed to the lack of consistent record-keeping and the influence of regional dialects.

One notable bearer of the CARLE surname was Sir William Carle, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Another was John Carle, a 16th-century English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name CARLE appears in records from the French region of Normandy, suggesting a possible connection to the Norman origin of the surname. One example is Pierre Carle, a merchant and landowner born in Rouen in 1625.

The CARLE surname also has a strong presence in Germany, particularly in the southern regions. One prominent figure was Johann Baptist Carle, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1639 to 1697 and was known for his religious works.

Another notable bearer of the CARLE name was Michael Carle, an 18th-century German architect and engineer who was instrumental in the construction of several important buildings in the city of Karlsruhe, including the Karlsruhe Palace.

While the CARLE surname may not be as widely recognized as some others, it has a rich history that spans across several countries and centuries, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name throughout the ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carle 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 129 Carles recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.80x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 129 43.80x
Middlesex 39 1.23x
Surrey 28 1.81x
Lanarkshire 22 2.14x
Banffshire 16 24.26x
Ayrshire 15 6.30x
Lancashire 14 0.37x
Northumberland 11 2.32x
Dunbartonshire 9 10.53x
Gloucestershire 8 1.28x
Durham 6 0.63x
Yorkshire 5 0.16x
Kent 4 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.70x
Wiltshire 3 1.07x
Berwickshire 2 5.19x
Essex 2 0.32x
Renfrewshire 2 0.81x
Angus 1 0.34x
Cumberland 1 0.37x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Kincardineshire 1 2.58x
Monmouthshire 1 0.44x
Royal Navy 1 2.64x
Sutherland 1 4.09x
Wigtownshire 1 2.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Longside in Aberdeenshire leads with 21 Carles recorded in 1881 and an index of 596.59x.

Place Total Index
Longside 21 596.59x
Fraserburgh 19 229.19x
Rathen 19 614.89x
Peterhead 16 102.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 12 21.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 17.19x
Lonmay 10 374.53x
Lowick 10 606.06x
Tyrie 10 270.27x
Gamrie 9 122.28x
Govan 9 3.54x
Bonhill 8 58.31x
Mile End Old Town London 8 11.82x
New Deer 7 131.33x
Old Deer 7 125.45x
Oldham 7 5.75x
St Fergus 7 419.16x
Girvan 5 83.75x
Hackney London 5 2.80x
Lambeth 5 1.80x
Southwark St Saviour 5 30.60x
St Quivox 5 62.11x
Sunderland 5 29.92x
Westminster St Margaret 5 32.59x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 6.51x
Barony 4 1.54x
Bristol St George 4 13.87x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 6.81x
Dalserf 4 38.99x
Golborne 4 81.30x
Battersea 3 2.56x
Dalmellington 3 42.86x
Glasgow 3 1.64x
Meldrum 3 120.97x
Melksham 3 61.48x
Minster In Sheppey 3 16.69x
Northowram 3 13.57x
Poplar London 3 5.00x
Ratcliffe London 3 17.08x
Earlston 2 103.63x
Elton 2 15.34x
Harrow 2 41.15x
Islington London 2 0.65x
Kensington London 2 1.13x
Kilmarnock 2 7.06x
Long Ditton 2 79.05x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.80x
Old Monkland 2 4.90x
Acton 1 5.36x
Aldershot 1 4.58x
Amble 1 46.51x
Bradford 1 1.31x
Caterham 1 14.60x
Chelsea London 1 1.04x
Dundee 1 0.91x
Dunnottar 1 36.76x
Durness 1 93.46x
Greenock East 1 1111.11x
Greenwich 1 1.98x
Hammersmith London 1 1.28x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.44x
Kintore 1 39.06x
Leeds 1 0.56x
Mearns 1 23.15x
Mochrum 1 39.68x
Row 1 9.05x
Salford 1 0.90x
Shoreditch London 1 0.73x
St Anne Soho London 1 5.51x
St Marylebone London 1 0.59x
St Pancras London 1 0.39x
Teddington London 1 13.89x
Trevethin 1 4.61x
Walthamstow 1 4.43x
Wandsworth 1 3.27x
West Ham 1 0.72x
Westminster St James 1 3.06x
Workington 1 6.38x
Worksop 1 7.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Margaret 6
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Emma 4
Sarah 4
Catherine 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Isabell 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
(Mrs) 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Charlotte 1
Christiane 1
Effield 1
Ellenor 1
Eugenie 1
Euphemia 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lillian 1
Nancy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
Charles 5
George 4
John 4
Alexander 3
Frederick 3
James 3
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
Florence 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Gambirasie 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Pietro 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Carle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 327 people were recorded with the Carle surname. That placed it at #9,147 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 503 in 2016. That gives Carle a modern rank of #9,950.

What does the Carle surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a peasant farmer or rustic man.

What does the Carle map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carle 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.