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

Carroll, 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 Carroll surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carroll in America

Carroll is the 13236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carroll surname appeared 2,307 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 Carroll.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carroll 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 Carroll

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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carroll

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

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

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

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