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

Carlington, 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 Carlington surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Carlington in America

Carlington is the 148244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carlington surname appeared 102 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Carlington.

The history of the last name Carlington

The surname Carlington has its origins in England, likely emerging during the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. The name is believed to be locational, referring to someone who hailed from a place named Carlington, or a similar derivative. The Old English elements contributing to this surname include "Carl," which may refer to a free man or peasant, and "tun," meaning a settlement or enclosure. The combination of these elements suggests a meaning related to a settlement or town associated with a person named Carl.

The earliest verifiable records of the name Carlington are sparse. The Domesday Book of 1086, which is one of the earliest and most comprehensive surveys of England, does not explicitly mention Carlington. However, the name may have evolved from similar sounding locales recorded in the text. Early references to the surname can be found in tax records, land grants, and legal documents from the late medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Carlington appears in a 14th-century document from Northumberland, where a Thomas de Carlington is mentioned as a landowner. Following this, in the early 16th century, a John Carlington was noted in the records of Norfolk as a merchant engaged in trade. The presence of the surname in various regions of England hints at its locational nature and its spread through migration or land ownership.

Historical references to individuals with the Carlington surname include Sir Robert Carlington, a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century. He is believed to have been born around 1430 and died in 1471. Another notable figure is Anne Carlington, a 16th-century poet born in 1543, who contributed to the Elizabethan literary scene until her death in 1581.

In the 17th century, a Richard Carlington was recorded as a prominent landowner in Somerset, having been born in 1610 and passing away in 1679. His records include significant land transactions and dealings with local gentry. In the 18th century, Captain Edward Carlington, born in 1702, served in the Royal Navy and was involved in several naval battles, eventually retiring to a quiet life in Devon until his death in 1763.

By the 19th century, the Carlington name had also spread to various British colonies, including the United States and Australia, through migration. A noted figure from this period is Samuel Carlington, born in 1825, who became a renowned engineer involved in the construction of railway lines in Australia. He passed away in 1891, having contributed significantly to the infrastructure development of his adopted country.

The history of the Carlington surname encapsulates the socio-economic shifts of England from the medieval period through the Renaissance and into modern times, with bearers of the name contributing to various aspects of society, commerce, and the military.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carlington

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Carlington 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.

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 Carlington was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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