Carolina Family History
Carolina Name Meaning
African American: probably an adoption of the name of the US states as a surname (compare Maryland 2 and Missouri ); however compare also West Indian name in 2 below. The Carolinas (i.e. North Carolina and South Carolina) at that time a British colony received their name (originally Carolana) in honor of the king Charles I of England who in 1629 granted a patent for the lands south of 36 degrees and north of 31 degrees. West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the female personal name Carolina feminine form of Carolus . It is one of the surnames (compare Martina ) that reflect the partially mother-oriented name culture of the formerly enslaved people in the West Indies.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022