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

Carman, 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 Carman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carman in America

Carman is the 3198th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carman surname appeared 11,302 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Carman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carman 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 Carman

The surname Carman is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "carr" and "mann," which together mean "man who dwells near the marsh or fen." This name was likely given to individuals who lived or worked near marshy areas or fens.

The earliest recorded instances of the Carman surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For instance, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, mention a person named Robert Carman. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327 list a certain William Careman.

Over time, the name evolved and took on different spellings, such as Careman, Careyman, and Cayreman, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and record-keeping practices. Some of these variations can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 14th century, where individuals with names like John Cayreman and Robert Careman appear.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Carman surname was Sir William Carman, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in the Calendars of Inquisitions Post Mortem from 1292, which recorded the transfer of his estates after his death.

Another notable figure was Robert Carman, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century. He is recorded in the Husting Rolls of London in the year 1431, which documented legal proceedings and property transactions.

In the 16th century, a certain John Carman gained recognition as a skilled architect and master mason. He is credited with the construction of several churches and buildings in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, as mentioned in the architectural records of that time.

Moving forward to the 17th century, we find William Carman, a prominent Puritan minister and author who lived in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is known for his influential sermons and writings on religious topics, some of which were published in the early years of the American colonies.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, we encounter George Carman, a renowned English botanist and horticulturist. He was born in 1819 and made significant contributions to the study and cultivation of various plant species, particularly those found in the British Isles.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the Carman surname throughout history, demonstrating its enduring presence across different regions and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carman

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

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

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

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