NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlow

An Irish surname derived from the town name Carlow, meaning "rough or rocky land".

In the 1881 census there were 278 people recorded with the Carlow surname, ranking it #10,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #10,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Meopham, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Cowal North and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlow is 307 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 57.9%.

1881 census count

278

Ranked #10,259

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1861

307 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlow had 278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 307 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Carlow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carlow 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 278 #10,259
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 259 #12,848
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 167 #19,722
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 169 #20,199
2001 modern 161 #20,543
2002 modern 165 #20,619
2003 modern 161 #20,697
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Carlows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Meopham, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Manchester and Wrotham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Cowal North, Wiltshire, Kirkcudbright and Southampton. 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 Meopham Kent
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Wrotham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 009 Swale
2 Cowal North Argyll and Bute
3 Wiltshire 026 Wiltshire
4 Kirkcudbright Dumfries and Galloway
5 Southampton 001 Southampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carlow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carlow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carlow, 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 Carlow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Carlow 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Carlow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Carlow is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carlow falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carlow 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 Carlow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carlow

The surname Carlow has its roots in the Irish county of Carlow, located in the southeast part of the country. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "ceatharloch," meaning "quarter" or "fourth part," and "loch," meaning "lake." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place near a lake or body of water that was divided into quarters or sections.

The earliest known record of the surname Carlow dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this record, the name was spelled "Ceatharloch," reflecting its Gaelic origins.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the late 12th century, the name Carlow was anglicized to its current spelling. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name were Norman soldiers who settled in the area around the town of Carlow after the invasion.

One notable individual with the surname Carlow was Sir Edmund Carlow, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was born around 1320 and served under King Edward III.

Another historical figure with the name Carlow was John Carlow, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1537 to 1551. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and was a supporter of the Protestant cause.

In the 17th century, a man named Richard Carlow was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Carlow, Ireland. He was born around 1620 and is recorded as having acquired significant wealth and property in the region.

Moving into the 18th century, there was a notable Irish playwright named Thomas Carlow, who was born in 1737 and died in 1798. He is best known for his satirical plays that commented on the social and political issues of the time.

Finally, one of the most recent historical figures with the surname Carlow was William Carlow, a 19th-century Irish architect who was born in 1799 and died in 1875. He designed several notable buildings in Dublin, including the former Royal Dublin Society's headquarters and parts of Trinity College.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carlow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlow 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. Kent leads with 51 Carlows recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.49x.

County Total Index
Kent 51 5.49x
Lancashire 40 1.24x
Middlesex 20 0.73x
Warwickshire 19 2.77x
Surrey 18 1.36x
Essex 15 2.79x
Lanarkshire 14 1.59x
Stirlingshire 11 10.96x
Cheshire 10 1.66x
Fife 9 5.59x
Northumberland 9 2.22x
Staffordshire 8 0.87x
Dunbartonshire 7 9.57x
Durham 6 0.74x
West Lothian 6 14.64x
Angus 5 1.98x
Midlothian 5 1.37x
Devon 3 0.53x
Sussex 3 0.65x
Yorkshire 3 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.16x
Isle of Man 2 3.96x
Montgomeryshire 2 3.21x
Ayrshire 1 0.49x
Glamorgan 1 0.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.85x
Peeblesshire 1 7.81x
Renfrewshire 1 0.47x
Roxburghshire 1 2.03x
Shropshire 1 0.43x
Somerset 1 0.23x
Worcestershire 1 0.28x

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 14 Carlows recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.12x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 14 6.12x
Manchester 12 8.26x
Seal 12 800.00x
Falkirk 11 46.81x
Bethnal Green London 10 8.46x
Westgate 9 35.89x
Colchester St James 8 366.97x
St Mary Cray 8 449.44x
Blackburn 7 8.15x
Great Dunmow 7 250.00x
Kirkintilloch 7 70.42x
Tonbridge 7 20.90x
Barony 6 2.69x
Camberwell 6 3.45x
Cannock 6 37.43x
Queensferry 6 600.00x
Wrotham 6 194.81x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 30.85x
Goudhurst 5 194.55x
Kingsdown In Dartford 5 1282.05x
Liscard 5 46.21x
Poplar London 5 9.73x
Scoonie 5 143.27x
Sevenoaks 5 66.40x
Abroath St Vigeans 4 384.62x
Cadder 4 61.54x
Dunfermline 4 16.15x
Govan 4 1.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 7.30x
Stockport 4 12.94x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.05x
Gateshead 3 4.95x
Heworth 3 18.81x
Lambeth 3 1.26x
Limpsfield 3 236.22x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 6.87x
Aston 2 1.06x
Brampton Bierlow 2 57.97x
Caxton 2 377.36x
Edgbaston 2 9.40x
Hastings St Mary 2 17.51x
Haughton 2 42.46x
Liverpool 2 1.02x
Llanfyllin 2 121.21x
Onchan 2 13.74x
Openshaw 2 13.23x
Pendleton In Salford 2 5.20x
Sutton 2 20.86x
Westminster St Margaret 2 15.23x
Wigan 2 4.43x
Alton 1 23.81x
Bromley London 1 1.67x
Bury 1 2.71x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.83x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 4.88x
Elton 1 8.96x
Farningham 1 120.48x
Great Bolton 1 2.34x
Hove 1 4.97x
Jedburgh 1 20.70x
Kensington London 1 0.66x
Kings Norton 1 3.14x
Kirknewton East 1 65.79x
Lichfield St Chad 1 48.31x
Liff Benvie 1 2.61x
Linton 1 123.46x
Monckton Combe 1 71.43x
North Meols 1 3.16x
Offord Cluny 1 370.37x
Orpington 1 35.21x
Over Darwen 1 3.88x
Peebles 1 26.46x
Port Glasgow 1 9.80x
Preston 1 1.16x
South Leith 1 2.44x
St Luke London 1 2.29x
St Quivox 1 14.51x
Wellington 1 7.57x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.53x
Wolverhampton 1 1.42x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 14
George 12
James 12
Thomas 8
Henry 7
Charles 5
Samuel 4
Edward 3
Michael 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Vernon 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Lennard 1
Libitey 1
Mary 1
Patrick 1
Rodger 1
Sydney 1
Terrance 1

FAQ

Carlow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 278 people were recorded with the Carlow surname. That placed it at #10,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Carlow a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Carlow surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the town name Carlow, meaning "rough or rocky land".

What does the Carlow map show?

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