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Carl Family History

Carl Name Meaning

German: variant of Karl and in North America (also) an altered form of this. English and Scottish: status name from Middle English carl ‘free peasant’ later ‘bondman’ also ‘bloke knave rascal’ (from Old Norse karl ‘man’). This is the usual source of the surname in England and Scotland. English: occasionally perhaps from the comparatively rare Middle English personal name Carl ultimately from ancient Germanic karl ‘man freeman’. In continental Europe German Karl and its cognates in other languages were and are extremely popular personal names. It is the source via French of the English personal name Charles . Americanized form of Dutch and Czech Karel .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Karl, Earl, Carp, Cart, Call, Care, Garl, Carll, Carle, Card

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Where is the Carl family from?

You can see how Carl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carl families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 127 Carl families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Carl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Carl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carl surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Carl ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Carl. 100% of Carl men worked as a General Labourer and 81% of Carl women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Carl | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    81%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Carl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 102,000 census records available for the last name Carl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Carl

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Carl. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Carl. For the veterans among your Carl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Carl lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Carl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Carl in 1943 was 26, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carl

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