Carlton Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Carlton last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Carlton last name
Meaning of the Carlton last name: settlement of free peasants. Carlton is an English surname for a family from a place called Carlton, from Old Norse karl and Old English tūn, "settlement of free peasants". The last name is common in the north. Curiously, the same idea gave Charlton in the south, where Old English ceorl replaced the Norse karl.
Arms associated with the Carlton name
Heraldry associated with the Carlton surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Carlton family history
This is only a glimpse of the Carlton story. The full Carlton history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Carlton coat of arms. Get the full Carlton report.
Carlton name FAQ
What does the Carlton name mean?
Settlement of free peasants. Common variants include Carleton, Charlton.
Where does the Carlton surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Carlton coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Carlton coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).