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

Carthern, 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 Carthern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Carthern in America

Carthern is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Carthern surname appeared 103 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 Carthern.

The history of the last name Carthern

The surname Carthern is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Cornwall, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Cornish place name Carthern, which itself is derived from the Cornish words "car" meaning "fort" and "tern" meaning "place." This suggests that the name may have originated from a location that was once a fortified settlement or had a prominent fort in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Carthern can be found in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall, a collection of legal records dating back to the 13th century. In these rolls, a person named Richard de Carthern is mentioned in connection with a land dispute in the year 1284.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the records of the Cornish parish of St. Columb Major, where a John Carthern is listed as a witness in a legal document from 1562. This suggests that the name was well-established in Cornwall by that time.

The Carthern name is also associated with the town of Padstow in Cornwall, where there was a family of that name who owned land and held positions of influence in the local community during the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable member of this family was Richard Carthern (1643-1721), who served as the mayor of Padstow in 1698.

Another prominent figure with the surname Carthern was Sir William Carthern (1706-1778), a successful merchant and landowner who was knighted for his services to the Crown. He was born in Cornwall but later moved to London, where he amassed a considerable fortune through his business ventures.

In the 19th century, the name appears in various records across Cornwall and neighboring counties, indicating that the family had spread beyond its original base. For example, a Thomas Carthern (1812-1891) is listed as a farmer in the parish records of Stratton, Cornwall, while a Jane Carthern (1827-1904) was born in the nearby town of Bude.

While the Carthern surname is relatively uncommon outside of Cornwall and the surrounding areas, it has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence in the region and its significance in local communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Carthern

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

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

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

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