NameCensus.

UK surname

Carrol

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "cearbhal," meaning fierce, valorous, or warlike.

In the 1881 census there were 1,365 people recorded with the Carrol surname, ranking it #3,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 347, ranked #13,259, down from #3,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torry East, Danestone and Perth Road.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carrol is 1,415 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 74.6%.

1881 census count

1,365

Ranked #3,006

Modern count

347

2016, ranked #13,259

Peak year

1891

1,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carrol had 1,365 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016, ranked #13,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,415 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Carrol surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carrol surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carrol 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 918 #3,005
1861 historical 1,248 #2,282
1881 historical 1,365 #3,006
1891 historical 1,415 #3,081
1901 historical 1,168 #4,183
1911 historical 442 #8,625
1997 modern 372 #11,621
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 366 #12,225
2000 modern 357 #12,380
2001 modern 348 #12,419
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 342 #12,627
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 334 #12,818
2006 modern 352 #12,396
2007 modern 356 #12,437
2008 modern 368 #12,238
2009 modern 370 #12,416
2010 modern 385 #12,353
2011 modern 366 #12,667
2012 modern 350 #12,965
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 346 #13,370
2015 modern 341 #13,425
2016 modern 347 #13,259

Geography

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Where Carrols are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torry East, Danestone, Perth Road, Northumberland and Copeland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torry East Aberdeen City
2 Danestone Aberdeen City
3 Perth Road Dundee City
4 Northumberland 039 Northumberland
5 Copeland 003 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carrol

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carrol

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Carrol surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Carrol household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Carrol 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

Carrol 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

Carrol 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 Carrol 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 Carrol, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carrol

The surname Carrol originated in Ireland, emerging in the 13th century from the Gaelic name O'Cearbhaill. It is derived from the old Irish word "cerbhal," meaning "brave" or "valiant." The name was initially concentrated in the western counties of Galway and Mayo.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of Lough Cé, a 14th-century chronicle, where it is spelled "O'Cairbhil." The name is also found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a 17th-century compilation of earlier annals, where it is rendered as "O'Cairbhealaigh."

The Carrol surname has several variations in spelling, including Carroll, Carrell, Carrall, and Caroll, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations over time.

Notable historical figures with the surname Carrol include:

1. Nicholas Carrol (c. 1400-1475), a prominent Irish landowner and chieftain in County Galway. 2. John Carrol (1735-1815), an American prelate and the first Catholic bishop in the United States, born in Maryland. 3. Lewis Carrol (1832-1898), the famous English author best known for his works "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass." His real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. 4. James Carrol (1854-1925), an Irish-born American prelate and the first Bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania. 5. Abby Kelley Carrol (1811-1887), an American abolitionist and radical social reformer from Massachusetts.

The name has been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Carrollstown in County Mayo and Carrolls Cross in County Galway. These place names likely originated from prominent Carrol families who settled in those areas.

While the Carrol surname has its roots in Ireland, it has spread globally through emigration, particularly to the United States and other English-speaking countries. The name has endured for centuries, reflecting its historical significance and cultural ties to Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carrol families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carrol 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. Lancashire leads with 295 Carrols recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 295 1.88x
Lanarkshire 182 4.25x
Durham 136 3.45x
Yorkshire 124 0.95x
Middlesex 84 0.63x
Angus 76 6.20x
Midlothian 37 2.09x
Aberdeenshire 34 2.77x
Surrey 33 0.51x
Glamorgan 29 1.26x
Kent 28 0.62x
Ayrshire 27 2.73x
Renfrewshire 25 2.44x
Staffordshire 22 0.49x
Northumberland 20 1.02x
Cheshire 18 0.62x
Cumberland 14 1.23x
Devon 14 0.51x
Fife 14 1.79x
Hampshire 13 0.48x
Huntingdonshire 12 4.57x
Essex 10 0.38x
Stirlingshire 10 2.05x
Caernarfonshire 9 1.68x
Pembrokeshire 9 2.14x
Dumfriesshire 8 2.74x
Worcestershire 8 0.46x
Warwickshire 7 0.21x
Bedfordshire 5 0.73x
Lincolnshire 5 0.24x
Selkirkshire 5 4.18x
Sussex 5 0.22x
Wigtownshire 5 2.84x
Channel Islands 4 1.02x
Derbyshire 4 0.19x
Gloucestershire 4 0.15x
Kincardineshire 4 2.48x
Merionethshire 3 1.24x
Monmouthshire 3 0.31x
Argyllshire 2 0.54x
Royal Navy 2 1.27x
West Lothian 2 1.00x
Banffshire 1 0.36x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Isle of Man 1 0.41x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 45 Carrols recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.83x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 45 9.83x
Manchester 42 5.95x
Barony 41 3.78x
Liverpool 40 4.19x
Govan 39 3.68x
Glasgow 33 4.34x
West Derby 26 5.66x
Liff Benvie 25 13.43x
Bishopwearmouth 24 7.10x
Old Monkland 22 12.95x
Salford 21 4.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 17 9.97x
Rusholme 17 40.57x
Lambeth 15 1.30x
St Marylebone London 15 2.12x
Bradford 14 4.41x
Middlesbrough 14 8.20x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 13 5.67x
Bothwell 12 10.34x
Dalry 12 25.74x
Aberdeen Old Machar 11 4.30x
Toxteth Park 11 2.07x
Wigan 11 5.01x
Everton 10 2.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 3.75x
Stockton On Tees 10 5.27x
Dalziel 9 19.54x
Minster In Sheppey 9 12.03x
Swansea Town 9 4.76x
Widnes 9 7.94x
Aberavon 8 37.72x
Dudley 8 3.81x
Ealing 8 6.76x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 19.07x
Harton 8 51.41x
Hulme 8 2.44x
Linthorpe 8 10.22x
Beath 7 28.27x
Cambuslang 7 16.22x
Cawood 7 139.17x
Chiswick 7 9.68x
Denny 7 26.95x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.01x
Dumfries 7 24.26x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 0.98x
Fulham London 7 3.65x
Hilton 7 437.50x
Huddersfield 7 3.66x
Kensington London 7 0.95x
Leeds 7 0.95x
Millbrook 7 10.24x
Much Woolton 7 32.85x
Pendleton In Salford 7 3.74x
Walton On Hill 7 8.23x
Warrington 7 3.76x
Wath On Dearne 7 26.75x
West Greenock 7 3.80x
Willington 7 30.76x
Barnsley 6 4.43x
Birkenhead 6 2.58x
Birtley 6 37.34x
Brightside Bierlow 6 2.33x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 13.29x
Egremont 6 22.08x
Elvet 6 21.10x
Littleham 6 29.78x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 7.81x
Neilston 6 11.65x
Riccarton Hurlford 6 34.52x
Stockport 6 3.99x
Stranton 6 4.53x
Tadcaster West 6 57.75x
Workington 6 9.20x
Accrington 5 3.50x
Paddington London 5 1.03x
Pembroke St Mary 5 9.23x
Shettleston 5 13.04x
Shoreditch London 5 0.87x
St Pancras London 5 0.47x
West Thurrock 5 57.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 113
Ellen 37
Elizabeth 33
Margaret 24
Sarah 24
Catherine 23
Ann 22
Bridget 14
Eliza 13
Jane 13
Annie 9
Julia 8
Kate 7
Maria 7
Rose 6
Alice 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Isabella 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Hannah 3
Rosa 3
Esther 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Katherine 2
Lizzie 2
Margeret 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Nelly 2
Sophia 2
Winiford 2
Winifred 2
Bridgett 1
Cate 1
Catharine 1
Elem 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellise 1
Ivy 1
Jemmia 1
Joanna 1
Johanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 81
James 53
William 46
Thomas 37
Michael 28
Patrick 28
Edward 13
George 10
Peter 10
Henry 9
Joseph 7
Charles 6
Thos. 6
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Martin 5
Walter 5
Dennis 4
Francis 4
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Lawrence 3
Nicholas 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Anthony 2
Barnard 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Laurence 2
Matthew 2
Michal 2
Paul 2
Philip 2
Amos 1
Charlie 1
Cornelius 1
Eugene 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Lewis 1
Malachi 1
Mark 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Carrol surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carrol surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,365 people were recorded with the Carrol surname. That placed it at #3,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carrol surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016. That gives Carrol a modern rank of #13,259.

What does the Carrol surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "cearbhal," meaning fierce, valorous, or warlike.

What does the Carrol map show?

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