Find out how popular the last name Carew is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Carew.

Carew, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Carew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carew in America

Carew is the 12817th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carew surname appeared 2,406 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Carew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carew to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Carew

The surname Carew has its origins in the ancient Celtic Briton culture, tracing back to the 6th century. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh place name "Carew" or "Carien," meaning "fort" or "stronghold." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely hailed from or were associated with a fortified settlement or castle.

The name Carew first appeared in records during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This indicates that the Carew family had established a presence in England by that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Carew was Sir Nicholas de Carew, who lived in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He served as a knight and was granted lands in Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales, by King John in 1207. This castle and its surrounding lands became the ancestral seat of the Carew family for several centuries.

Another notable figure in the history of the Carew name was Sir John Carew (c. 1345 - c. 1405), a prominent military leader during the Hundred Years' War. He fought alongside the Black Prince at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 and later served as a commander in the English army during the reign of King Richard II.

In the 16th century, Sir Peter Carew (1514 - 1575) gained prominence as a military commander and explorer. He led expeditions to explore the Spanish Main and the West Indies, and played a significant role in the establishment of English settlements in the New World.

The Carew family continued to hold influential positions in England and Wales throughout the centuries. One notable figure was Sir George Carew (1555 - 1629), who served as Lord President of Munster in Ireland and played a crucial role in suppressing the Nine Years' War against Irish rebels.

Another distinguished member of the Carew family was Thomas Carew (1595 - 1639), a renowned English poet and courtier during the Baroque era. He was known for his mastery of lyric poetry and his contributions to the development of English literature.

Over time, the Carew surname has seen various spellings, including Carrew, Carreu, Carewe, and Caru. However, the modern spelling of "Carew" has become the most widely accepted form. The name has also been associated with several place names, such as Carew Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and Carew Manor in Beddington, Surrey, England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carew

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Carew.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Carew was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Carew has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Carew was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Carew, please contact us.

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