Carlin
A surname with several possible roots, most often explained as a diminutive of Charles or as an Anglo-Saxon word for a man or peasant.
The #2,977 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 25,654 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Carlin is traditionally traced to more than one source. Some authorities connect it with Carolus, the Latin form behind Charles, while others derive it from Old English ceorl, meaning a man, rustic, or peasant, with Carlin as a diminutive or nickname-form. In Irish usage, the name can also represent anglicized Gaelic forms such as Ó Cearalláin / similar Carellan-type forms, so the surname may have independent origins in different families.
History
In Scotland and northern England, Carlin has long been treated as a surname or nickname-form related to Carl/Carle. In Ireland, it appears among surnames that were anglicized in several different ways, which means some Carlin families are not related to the English/Scots line at all. Because the name occurs in more than one naming tradition, bearers of Carlin may have different ancestral origins depending on family and region.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old onomastic works note that Carlin was used in Scotland alongside Carl and Carle, showing how a short nickname-like form could travel widely and generate multiple surname spellings.
From the historical record
“-Tid Mid,BndMiKrBy. Carlin, Pome, and PacHgg Day,' is a North-Engtish rhyme hy which childrensttllteamthechief Sundays from Epiphany to Eastei ' ' Local, 'of Tydd,' parishes”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances