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

Carthen, 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 Carthen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carthen in America

Carthen is the 36970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carthen surname appeared 604 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Carthen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Carthen 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 Carthen

The surname CARTHEN is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "carr" and "then," meaning "carr" (a kind of wagon) and "then" (a village or settlement). The name likely originated in the 11th century after the Norman Conquest of England.

CARTHEN is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Northumberland, where many place names containing the element "carr" can be found. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, appearing in various tax rolls and parish records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the CARTHEN surname was Richard de Carthen, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1268. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable historical information about individuals and their locations.

In the 14th century, the CARTHEN name appeared in several manorial records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John Carthen was mentioned in 1327. This suggests that the family had established itself in the region during this period.

A notable historical figure with the CARTHEN surname was Sir Thomas Carthen (1512-1582), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1567 and was known for his philanthropic efforts, founding a school and almshouses in the city.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Carthen (1638-1718), a Quaker writer and preacher from Northumberland. She traveled extensively, spreading the Quaker message and publishing several religious works during her lifetime.

In the 17th century, the CARTHEN surname also appeared in the parish registers of Lincolnshire, where a William Carthen was recorded as being baptized in the village of Grantham in 1654.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the CARTHEN surname have been observed, including Carton, Cartin, and Cartine, reflecting regional dialects and phonetic adaptations over time.

While the CARTHEN surname is not among the most common surnames in England, it has maintained a presence throughout the centuries, particularly in the northern regions where it originated. The name serves as a reminder of the rich linguistic heritage and historical roots of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carthen

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

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

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

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