CARRINGTON
Carrington is a surname of firmly English origin, derived from a range of place names situated in the British Isles. The earliest associations appear in the counties of Cheshire, Lincolnshire, and Greater Manchester in England, with a further Scottish citation in East Lothian. The name is a classic example of a locational surname, adopted by families resident within or associated with a specific settlement.
The etymology of the name can be traced to Old English roots. The element carr, meaning “rock” or “stone”, is combined with tūn, meaning “enclosure”, “farm” or “settlement”. The middle component ing denotes the people or dwellers of a place. Consequently, Carrington may be rendered as “the settlement of the rocky dwellers” or “the enclosure by the stones”. Some scholars propose an alternative possibility that the first element represents the personal name Cara, giving the sense “the settlement of Cara’s people”. Both interpretations are consistent with the linguistic environment of pre‑7th‑century England.
The surname was first recorded in the late thirteenth century. A notable early attestation is that of John de Carrington dated 1294 in the Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire, during the reign of King Edward the First. In 1296, a gram that the name appears as Wautier de Keringtone, who served as the parson of Dunnotre Church, rendered homage in the same documented year. The spelling variations such as Carington, Carinton and Carenton illustrate the regional dialectal shifts that affected the name over time. These variants are considered orthographic differences rather than distinct family lines.
In later centuries, members of the Carrington family achieved distinction in various fields. Among the most prominent is Richard Carrington (1826–1875), an astronomer well known for his observations that contributed to the early study of solar phenomena. He served as an observer to Durham University and his systematic recordings of sunspots are celebrated in the history of astronomy.
By the modern period the surname has spread beyond its English origins, particularly to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, following patterns of migration common to many British families. In England it remains comparatively uncommon, with a higher concentration still found in Cheshire, the home of its earliest documentation. Despite its modest frequency, Carrington retains recognisably English characteristics, linking its bearers to the historical geography and linguistic heritage of the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Carrington surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
Female
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Linda
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rachel
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Carrington in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 7,888 people named Carrington in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,191st most common surname in Britain. Around 121 in a million people in Britain are named Carrington.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Carrington
- Leonora Carrington - Mexican artist, surrealist painter and novelist (1917 to 2011)
- Dora Carrington - Painter and decorative artist (1893 to 1932)
- Hereward Carrington - Jersey parapsychologist (1880 to 1958)
- Desmond Carrington - Radio broadcaster and actor (1926 to 2017)
- Stuart Carrington - Snooker player
- Dorothy Carrington - Writer (1910 to 2002)
- Richard Christopher Carrington - Astronomer (1826 to 1875)
- Matthew Carrington, Baron Carrington of Fulham - Politician
- Charles Carrington - Publisher of erotica (1867 to 1921)
- Alan Carrington - Chemist (1934 to 2013)
- John F. Carrington - Missionary (1914 to 1985)
- Nellie Carrington - High jumper (1916 to 1998)
- Codrington Edmund Carrington - Judge (1769 to 1849)
- Frederick Carrington - Soldier (1844 to 1913)
- Frederic Carrington - New Zealand politician (1807 to 1901)
- Andy Carrington - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.