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

Carnes, 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 Carnes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carnes in America

Carnes is the 2493rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carnes surname appeared 14,487 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Carnes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carnes 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 Carnes

The surname Carnes has its origins in the Latin word "carnis" meaning flesh or meat. It is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, likely referring to an occupation such as a butcher or someone involved in the meat trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in French documents dating back to the 12th century, with variations in spelling such as Carnes, Carneys, and Carnay. Some of these early records mention individuals like Robert de Carnes, who lived in Normandy in the early 1200s.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various forms in different regions. In England, it was often written as Carnes or Carnys, while in Scotland, the spelling Carnegy was more common. The name can also be found in historical records from Spain, where it was spelled Carneros.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Edward Carnegy, a Scottish politician and landowner who lived from 1598 to 1658. He played a significant role in the Scottish Civil War and was a prominent supporter of the Royalist cause.

Another individual of note was Sir Robert Carnes, an English military officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership in several battles against the French forces.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Carnes family settled in Ireland, where the name was sometimes anglicized to Carney or Kearney. One of the earliest recorded Irish bearers of the name was William Carnes, who was born in County Galway in the late 1500s.

The name Carnes can also be found in historical documents from Germany, where it was sometimes spelled Karnes or Karnies. One notable German bearer of the name was Johann Karnes, a 17th-century scholar and philosopher who wrote extensively on metaphysics and ethics.

Throughout its history, the surname Carnes has been associated with various occupations, from butchers and meat traders to scholars and military leaders. Its origins can be traced back to medieval France, and it has since spread across Europe, taking on various forms and spellings in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carnes

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

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

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

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