NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlon

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catharláin," meaning "descendant of Catharlán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Carlon surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 183, ranked #20,813, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winwick, Auckland St Andrew and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Moncrieffe and Friarton, Salford and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlon is 184 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.0%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

183

2016, ranked #20,813

Peak year

2015

184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlon had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016, ranked #20,813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 132 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carlon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Carlon 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 105 #22,179
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 150 #21,830
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 159 #21,387
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 170 #21,095
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 172 #21,248
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 183 #20,813

Geography

Back to top

Where Carlons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winwick, Auckland St Andrew, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Moncrieffe and Friarton, Salford, Wigan, Brent and Trafford. 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 Winwick Lancashire
2 Auckland St Andrew Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Moncrieffe and Friarton Perth and Kinross
2 Salford 016 Salford
3 Wigan 038 Wigan
4 Brent 018 Brent
5 Trafford 011 Trafford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Carlon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Carlon

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Carlon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Carlon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Carlon is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carlon is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carlon 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 Carlon 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Carlon

The surname Carlon is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "carlon," which means "small or short person." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone of small stature.

Carlon is thought to have first emerged in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas around Paris and Normandy. Some historians have speculated that the name may have been brought to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carlon can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named "Radulfus Carlon" in the county of Somerset.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Carlon, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Sir John was recorded as participating in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

During the 15th century, the name appeared in various historical records in France, such as the tax rolls of the city of Rouen, where a merchant named Jacques Carlon was listed as a resident in 1486.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname Carlon was Thomas Carlon (c. 1530-1595), an English theologian and author who served as the Dean of Exeter Cathedral.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Carlon (1634-1707), a British naval officer who fought in several battles against the Dutch and French during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars.

In the 18th century, a French composer named André Carlon (1739-1800) gained recognition for his operas and instrumental works, which were performed in Paris and other major European cities.

During the 19th century, a Scottish engineer named Robert Carlon (1829-1899) made significant contributions to the development of early steam engine technology and was involved in the construction of several notable bridges and railways.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Carlon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlon 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. Midlothian leads with 29 Carlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.76x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 29 21.76x
Lancashire 22 1.86x
Warwickshire 14 5.58x
Durham 10 3.38x
Surrey 10 2.06x
Angus 4 4.34x
Lanarkshire 3 0.93x
Cheshire 2 0.91x
Staffordshire 2 0.60x
Yorkshire 2 0.20x
Argyllshire 1 3.61x
Hampshire 1 0.49x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 13 Carlons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.55x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 13 15.55x
Edinburgh New North 10 862.07x
Kenyon 7 8750.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 64.03x
Edinburgh New 6 576.92x
Shildon 6 252.10x
South Leith 6 40.00x
Croydon 5 18.59x
Dundee 4 11.63x
Edinburgh Old 4 493.83x
Lambeth 4 4.61x
Widnes 4 47.00x
Boldon 2 190.48x
Edinburgh High Church 2 238.10x
Glasgow 2 3.50x
Great Bolton 2 12.80x
Hunslet 2 13.01x
Ashton In Makerfield 1 29.76x
Birkenhead 1 5.71x
Broughton In Salford 1 9.27x
Burslem 1 10.40x
Bury 1 7.42x
Claughton With Grange 1 100.00x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.26x
Collierley 1 75.76x
Eatington 1 416.67x
Edinburgh St Johns 1 119.05x
Kings Norton 1 8.58x
Knapdale South 1 105.26x
Old Monkland 1 7.83x
Richmond 1 14.73x
Southampton St Mary 1 7.80x
Willington 1 58.48x
Wolstanton Oldcott 1 81.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Catherine 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Lizzie 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Carlon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Carlon surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016. That gives Carlon a modern rank of #20,813.

What does the Carlon surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Catharláin," meaning "descendant of Catharlán," a personal name of uncertain origin.

What does the Carlon map show?

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