Carlin Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Carlin last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Carlin last name
Meaning of the Carlin last name: descendant of Caireallán. Carlin is an Irish surname from Ó Cairealláin, 'descendant of Caireallán', a personal name of uncertain meaning. The last name is found mainly in Tyrone, Derry and Donegal. Note: the same family line is also written Carland and Kerlin, depending on the clerk who wrote it down.
Arms associated with the Carlin name
Heraldry associated with the Carlin surname sets each coat of arms in a short blazon.
Get your full Carlin family history
This is only a glimpse of the Carlin story. The full Carlin 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 Carlin coat of arms. Get the full Carlin report.
Carlin name FAQ
What does the Carlin name mean?
Descendant of Caireallán. Common variants include Carland, Kerlin.
Where does the Carlin surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Carlin coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Carlin coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).