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Carolan Family History

Carolan Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cearbhalláin a northern and midland Irish name meaning ‘descendant of Cearbhallán’ a diminutive of the personal name Cearbhall (see Carroll).

Anglicized form of Ó Cairealláin ‘descendant of Caireallán’ a diminutive of the personal name Caireall.

In the 12th and 13th centuries this family were chieftains of Clondermot in Derry.

Carleton was later adopted as an English equivalent.

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


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Where is the Carolan family from?

You can see how Carolan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Carolan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Carolan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 55 Carolan families living in Lancashire. This was about 50% of all the recorded Carolan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Carolan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Carolan 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 Carolan 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 Carolan. 37% of Carolan men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Carolan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Carolan were Concrete Mixer Driver and Hospital Nurse.

View Census Data for Carolan | 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
    37%
  • Builders Labourer
    19%
  • Farm Labourer
    19%
  • Concrete Mixer Driver
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    11%
  • Cleaner
    4%
  • Hospital Nurse
    4%

What Carolan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Carolan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Carolan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Carolan

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Carolan. 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.

View all Carolan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Carolan. For the veterans among your Carolan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Carolan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Carolan family history

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What is the average Carolan lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Carolan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Carolan in 1944 was 34, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Carolan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Carolan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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