MCCARROLL
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Carroll, Mccarroll
McCarroll is a surname of Irish and Scottish origin that appears in the historical records of the British Isles. The name is a patronymic formation meaning “son of” a given name, and as such it reflects an early Gaelic naming practice that was common in both Ireland and Scotland.
The Gaelic root of the surname is Mac Cearbhaill. The personal name Cearbhall is composed of the elements cearb, meaning “to hack” or “to hew”, and gall, meaning “stranger” or “foreigner”. Consequently the surname can be interpreted to mean “son of the foreigner who hacks” or “descendant of the stranger who hews”. In the Irish language the word mac is retained in the anglicised forms Mc and Mac.
Records show the name was first written in the early fourteenth century. The earliest documented instance is that of Mulrory Mac Carroll in 1328, who served as Chief Minster of Ireland and Scotland under King Edward the first eleventh of England. The surname was also recorded as MacCarroll, McCarrell, McCarley, Carroll and others in medieval charters. A notable example is Donslevy Mac Carroll of 1357, described by the Four Masters as a noble master of music and melody at that time.
Two distinct clans bearing the name operated in Ireland. One was situated in Leinster and another in Ulster, where the surname was frequently written as MacCarvill. Notable later individuals include Margaret McCarroll, christened on 30 June 1744, and William McCarrell who married Rebecka Pritty in Limerick on 14 June 1758. In the nineteenth century, James McCarle married Mary Alderice in Belfast on 5 October 1865, and James McCarroll (1814‑1892) emigrated to America at age 17, where he gained renown as a poet, dramatist and inventor.
The surname also has a Scottish connection. It derives from the Gaelic Mac Carrghail, meaning “son of Carrghail”, with Carrghail thought to denote “rough strength” or “rough warrior”. Early witnesses to the name in Scotland appear in documents from 1534, such as Gilbert McCarrol. McCarrolls were noted for their loyalty and a long tradition of service in military, political and civic roles. Their varied occupations today reflect a broad spectrum of achievements in business, the arts and public life.
In contemporary times the surname is most frequently found in Ulster – particularly in the counties of Monaghan, Armagh, Donegal, and Fermanagh – and in the Scottish Highlands. Beyond Europe it occurs in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and to a lesser extent in South America, Asia and Africa. The name has become rarer in some diaspora communities where individuals prefer the mother’s maiden name or a hyphenated surname.
Many spelling variations exist due to anglicisation and regional pronunciation. The most common today are McCarroll and MacCarroll, but other forms such as MacCarvill, McCarvell, McCarley, Carroll and McCaroll appear in genealogical records. Related surnames with a shared Gaelic origin include MacCormack, MacCawell, McCawell, MacCreesh, McCreesh, MacCross, McCross, MacClarren, McClarren, MacCurly, McCurly and others. Such variants often reflect the same ancestral figure but differ by the use of the prefix Mc versus Mac or by regional orthographic differences.
Typical given names associated with the McCarroll surname
Male
- Adrian
- Andrew
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Simon
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Adele
- Ann
- Caroline
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Linda
- Louise
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Patricia
- Sarah
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 McCarroll in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname McCarroll are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Fig Roll.
There are approximately 1,110 people named McCarroll in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,805th most common surname in Britain. Around 17 in a million people in Britain are named McCarroll.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McCarroll
- Tony McCarroll - Drummer
- Marc McCarroll - Wheelchair tennis 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.