Ó Cearbhaill
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O'Carroll (), also known as simply Carroll, Carrol or Carrell, is a
Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...
Irish clan which is the most prominent sept of the
Ciannachta The Ciannachta were a population group of early historic Ireland. They claimed descent from the legendary figure Tadc mac Céin. Modern research indicates Saint Cianán and his followers may have been the origin behind the tribal name as it is ...
(also known as Clan Cian). Their genealogies claim that they are kindred with the
Eóganachta The Eóganachta (Modern , ) were an Irish dynasty centred on Rock of Cashel, Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of De ...
(themselves led by the O'Sullivans and MacCarthys), descended paternally from
Ailill Aulom Ailill Ollamh (or Oilill Olum) in Irish traditional history was the son of Mug Nuadat and was a king of the southern half of Ireland, placed in the 3rd century by early modern Irish genealogy. Sadb ingen Chuinn, daughter of Conn of the Hundred B ...
. From the Middle Ages until 1552, the family ruled an area within the
Kingdom of Munster The Kingdom of Munster () was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland which existed in the south-west of the island from at least the 1st century BC until 1118. According to traditional Irish history found in the ''Annals of the Four Masters'', the kingdom ...
known as
Éile Éile (; , ), commonly anglicised as Ely, was a medieval petty kingdom in the southern part of the modern county of Offaly and parts of North Tipperary in Ireland. The historic barony of Eliogarty was once a significant portion of the kingdom. ...
. The last monarch Tiege Cian O'Carroll surrendered and regranted to the Tudor
Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...
.


Etymology

Notable is the history of the Ó Cearbhaill whose territory, known as Ely O'Carroll in
Éile Éile (; , ), commonly anglicised as Ely, was a medieval petty kingdom in the southern part of the modern county of Offaly and parts of North Tipperary in Ireland. The historic barony of Eliogarty was once a significant portion of the kingdom. ...
, consisted of the pasture lands of Ballycrinass, Rosscullenagh and Drumcan, extending to the Lake of Leghagh, commonly Laghaghirisallive and bounded on the west by the lands called Laghenagarken and on the east adjoining or near to Glencrokin. This was always known as Ely O'Carroll. The mountain land extended from the Laghanagerah (Lochan na gCaorach) to Polle Dowa (Poll Dubh in Roscomroe) and then in a south easterly direction to the
Slieve Bloom Mountains The Slieve Bloom Mountains (; ) is a mountain range in Ireland. They rise from the central plain of Ireland to a height of . While not very high, they are extensive by local standards. The highest points are Arderin () () at the southwestern en ...
, which are the limits between Ely O'Carroll and
Upper Ossory Upper Ossory () was an administrative barony in the south and west of Queen's County (now County Laois) in Ireland. In late Gaelic Ireland it was the túath of the Mac Giolla Phádraig ( Fitzpatrick) family and a surviving remnant of the once l ...
meeting at a village called Garryvoe or Scully's land. The Ely O'Carroll sept was the most powerful and most famous, but there were at least four other septs, O'Carroll of Oriel in the
Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ) is the county town of County Louth, Ireland. The town is situated on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the north-east coast of Ireland, and is halfway between Dublin and Belfast, close to and south of the bor ...
area, O' Carrolls of Ossory in the
Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a population of 27,351, the List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland, ...
/
Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
area and two septs in the Kerry area. The prefix "O'" is very often dropped in the case of this surname, occasionally replaced with "Mac". Carvill is another anglicization of the same family name. The family name ''Ó Cearbhaill'' goes back to a given name ''Cearbhall''. Although the etymology of this name is often given as 'valorous in battle' or similar (literally 'lord of hacking' from Old Irish ''cerb'' 'hacking' and the suffix ''-al'' originally meaning 'lord'), a more likely original meaning is 'crooked mouth' or 'crooked member' (from ''cerr'' 'crooked' and ''bél'' 'mouth' or ''ball'' 'member'). For this at first glance odd name compare the etymologies of the names Campbell and
Cameron Cameron may refer to: People * Clan Cameron, a Scottish clan * Cameron (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Cameron (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) ;Mononym * Cam'ron (born 19 ...
.


History

Of Gaelic Irish descent, the Carrolls have their origins in the ancient kingdom of
Éile Éile (; , ), commonly anglicised as Ely, was a medieval petty kingdom in the southern part of the modern county of Offaly and parts of North Tipperary in Ireland. The historic barony of Eliogarty was once a significant portion of the kingdom. ...
, commonly anglicized ''Ely'', as a branch of the ruling O'Carroll family. The Ely O'Carroll come from counties Offaly and Tipperary in Ireland. The sept is also known as Eile and Clan Cian. According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the O'Carrolls were one of the chiefly families of the Eile who in turn were from the
Dumnonii The Dumnonii or Dumnones were a Britons (historical), British List of ancient Celtic peoples and tribes, tribe who inhabited Dumnonia, the area now known as Cornwall and Devon (and some areas of present-day Dorset and Somerset) in the further pa ...
or
Laigin The Laigin, modern spelling Laighin (), were a Gaelic population group of early Ireland. They gave their name to the Kingdom of Leinster, which in the medieval era was known in Irish as ''Cóiced Laigen'', meaning "Fifth/province of the Leinste ...
who were the third wave of
Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...
to settle in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
during the first century BC. One descendant,
Charles Carroll of Carrollton Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signatory ...
(1737–1832), was a wealthy landowner in Maryland and a signer of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. His cousin,
Daniel Carroll Daniel Carroll Jr. (July 22, 1730May 7, 1796) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a Maryland politician, and a plantation owner. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to ...
, was a signer of the U.S. Constitution. Daniel's brother was John Carroll, the first Catholic Bishop (
Archbishop of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore () is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in northern and western Maryland in the United States. It is the metropolitan see of the Ecclesiastical Province of Baltimore. The Archd ...
) in the United States. Historic Ely O'Carroll surnames are: Carroll, Bohan/Bowen, Dooley, Meagher/Maher/Mahar/Mahan, Kelly/Kealy, Flanagan, Corcoran, Healy, Nevin, O'Connor. Clan Cian was also known as the Cianachta, the Race of Cian, the youngest son of Olioll Ollum King of Munster and grandson of King Eoghan Mor the 1st (known as) Mogh Nuadath of Leith Mogha (Mogha’s Half) of southern Ireland, of the Milesian race of Heber, who contested for supremacy of all Ireland in the second century of the Christian Era. The Cianachta were led for over 1500 years by a recognized king, prince, high chief, or ruling lord chosen from members of the O’Carroll-Carroll and rival houses of the noble septs of Éile. In the fifth century the Cianacht Chief, Éile Righ Derg (Éile, the Red King) ruled the territory that came to be known as Ely O'Carroll (to distinguish the area from other O'Carroll kingdoms and lands). The Kingdom of Éile (Ely) was located anciently in Ormond in the Counties Tipperary, Waterford and extending into Offaly, Leix, and Kilkenny. Cearbhaill (Carroll) Son, of Aeodh, and Chief of the Cianachta was King of Éile at the turn of the first millennium. This Cearbhaill, the King of Éile, led the Elyans at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 with the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru. F.J. "Éile" O'Carroll, the late O'Carroll of Éile O'Carroll created Clan Cian through the Charter of Re-Formation in 1982-1983??as his personal clan for all Cianachta whose families originally lived within the regions ruled by The O'Carroll of Éile O'Carroll in Ireland as well as to all people who wish to honor their background and the ideals that Clan Cian promotes - Irish culture in all its manifestations and the exploration of expatriate Irish's roots back to Ireland.


Betham's ''History of O'Carroll''

The following is quoted from the Ordnance survey letters to King's County (
Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...
) 1838 cit. Sir William Betham's Irish Antiquarian Researches. Part I, Pg.95. Sir William Betham (1779–1853) was the
Ulster King of Arms Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is the provincial King of Arms at the College of Arms with jurisdiction over England north of the Trent and Northern Ireland. The two offices of Norroy and Ulster were formerly separate. Norroy King of Arms is th ...
and can be considered a fairly reliable source as such. The family of O'Carroll, according to the Irish antiquaries, are descended from Kean, the third son of Olioll Olum, King of Munster. Teige, the eldest son of this Kean, was a distinguished warrior, who by killing in battle his three rivals, procured for Cormac Mac Art, King of Ulster, the Monarchy of Ireland. Cormac rewarded him with a grant of land in Connaught called Lurgny Gallen and Culavin, he paying to the King of Connaught and his successors, 150 milch cows in May; 100 beeves and 100 barrels of mead or Metheglin at Alhallontide yearly, forever. He had two sons, Conla and Cormac Galeng; to the latter he gave the lands of Lurgny Gallen, now called the Barony of Gallen in the County of Mayo and Culavin, which were possessed by his descendants, the O'Haras and O'Garas. Conla, the eldest son, possessed the lands afterwards called Duthec Éile, i.e., the Estate of Éile, from Eile Ridheargs, of which his descendants were styled Kings, there being no other title of honour in use in Ireland before the coming of the English. Cearbhaill, the twelfth according to some, and the 16th in descent according to other authorities, from the above Éile, gave name to the Sept of the O'Carrolls, i.e., the descendants of Cearbhuill. The tenth in descent from him was Teige or Thatheus O'Cearbhuill Boy, King of Éile, who caused the Box of Dimma to be gilt, died about the middle of the 12th century and was succeeded by his son. Maolroona O'Carroll or O'Cearbhaill, King of Éile, was succeeded by his brother. Donald O'Carroll, who was King of Ely at the coming of the English under Strongbow and from him are descended the principal houses of this family. Maolroona O'Carroll, whose daughter Grace, or Grania, was married to Ulick Burke, Lord of Clanrickard, and was mother of Rickard Sassanagh Burke, the first Earl, joined with O'Brien and others against the English Government and gave them much trouble. He died A.D. 1532. His son Fergonamuin or Ferdinando O'Carroll, who succeeded his father as O'Carroll, concluded a treaty with Leonard, Lord Gray, Lord Deputy of Ireland, 12 June 1538, by which he consented for himself and his successors, the O'Carrolls, Capitanci de Ely O'Carroll, to pay the King 12d. for every carucate of land in Ely O'Carroll, one hundred and twenty marks on the nomination of the chief, and on general hostings to supply the Chief Governor of Ireland with twelve horsemen and twenty four foot men, all well equipped for war with provisions for forty days at the expense of O'Carroll; that on all journeys to those parts, they should supply the Lord Deputy and suite with provisions for three days; that the Lord Deputy should be supplied with provisions by O'Carroll for eighty gallowglasses for three months every year and be permitted to make a road or roads through Ely O'Carroll at his pleasure. In 1548 Teige Caoch O'Carroll, son of Ferdinando, called by Sir James Ware, petty King of Ely, routed the English out of his country, but afterwards submitted and was created Baron of Ely in 1532 (I have not been able to find the record of this patent) which he did not long enjoy, having been slain by his own Sept headed by his own kinsman and competitor Cahir O'Carroll, who was afterwards slain by William Adhar O'Carroll, younger brother of Teige, who was knighted 30 March 1567 and made Governor of Ely and Captain of his Nation by Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Justice of Ireland. Sir William died 28 April 1579. His natural son Sir Cahir or Charles O'Carroll, was knighted by Sir John Perrott, Lord Deputy in 1584. Sir Mulrooney O'Carroll, son of Sir William, was knighted by Sir George Carew, L. D. of Ireland, at Dublin Castle, St. James's Day, 1 March 1603, being the day of the Coronation of King James I. Roger O'Carroll, son and heir of Sir Mulrooney, was ousted out of his estates by Cromwell, he having attached himself to the King's party under the Duke of Ormond, but his eldest son and heir, Charles O'Carroll, was in great favour with Kings Charles II and James the I, who were not able to restore him to his paternal estate; the latter made him grants of large tracts of land on the Monoccasy River in the Province of Maryland in the North America, which was divided into three manors of each and called after the possession he had lost in Ireland, viz., Ely O'Carroll and Doughoregan. The third was called Carrolston. This gentleman was also made Attorney General of the Province and his estates are still in the possession of his grandson, Charles O'Carroll of Carrolston, Esq. aged 90 years, whose father and himself have been members of the senate of that State. Mary, the daughter of the last mentioned Charles, was married to Richard Caton Esq., of the State of Maryland, by whom she was mother to her Excellency Marianne, the present Marchioness of Wellesley and three other daughters Elizabeth, Louisa-Catharine (Lady Harvey) and Emily. Sir James Carroll, who was Mayor of Dublin, was knighted by Sir Arthur Chichester, Lord Deputy at Loghroer, the 30th of September 1609. His father, Thomas O'Carroll, being oppressed by the chief of his family, came to live in Dublin. Sir James Carroll had a grant of the Abbey of Baltinglass and was ancestor to the present High Sheriff of the County of Wicklow, Henry Griffiths (Carroll) of Ballymore Esq. Donagh, or Denis O'Carroll, descended from Donogh O'Carroll, brother to Mulrooney O'Carroll, Chief of his name, who died in 1532, was possessed of the estates of Modereeny and Buolybrack in Tipperary and was ousted by Cromwell. He married O'Kennedy's daughter and had thirty sons, whom he formed into a troop of horse and presented to Duke of Ormond for the service of King Charles I. On the Restoration, John, his son, had a grant of his lands at Killury in the Co. of Galway, where he married the daughter of O'Crean by Margaret, the daughter of Lord Athenry. His eldest son James Carroll, was ancestor to the family at Killury; Daniel O'Carroll, his second son, entered into the military service of the King of Spain and was made a Knight of the Order of Saint Iago. He was afterwards, through the interest of the Duke of Ormond, made a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Service by Queen Anne, in which he rose to the rank of Lt. General, obtained permission to bear the Insignia of the Order of St. Iago in England, had also the style of Sir Daniel and was Colonel of a Regiment of Horse. His grandson, John Whitley O'Carroll, was British resident at Saxe Weimar in 1804. Three other O'Carrolls, John, Donagh and Kedagh, obtained grants of land in Connaught from King Charles II in compensation for their losses in Leinster. From them are descended the families of Springhill, Tirlogh, Ardagh, Carragh and Dunmore in the Co. of Galway; Forthill in the County of Mayo and Doraville in the County of Clare. The other principal families now existing are those of Emmell in the King's County; Thurles, Ballingarry, Nenagh, Littlefield and Annemead in Tipperary; Rockfield in the County of Wicklow and Coolroe in the County of Carlow. John Carroll of Stephen's Green, Esq., late M.P. for New Ross is the representative of this last family.
Owen Carroll Owen Thomas "Ownie" Carroll, (November 11, 1902 – June 8, 1975) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played nine seasons in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers (1925, 1927–1930), New York Yankees (1930), Cincinnati Reds (1930–1932) ...
represented the King's County in King James's Parliament in 1689.


Contemporary Chief dispute

A few of the other families which resided within the kingdom of the O'Carrolls were the O'Meaghers/O'Meachair (Maher), O'Caseys, O'Haras, and O'Garas. All of these family surnames, and related septs, also trace their origins to Cian, or Cianachts but many dispute the notion of an overarching Clan Cian. In MacLysaght’s definitive work ''Irish Families'' there are over 200 Irish surnames listed and while recognising that there are many more Irish names it is now considered that these names constitute the main name-bearing Irish septs. Many of these septs developed out of larger groups or clans which predated the development of surnames, as in the case of O’Brien in relation to the Dal Cás or O’Higgins in relation to the Cenél Fiachach, or, in this case, O'Carroll in relation to the Cianachta. However, these larger groupings seldom gave rise to surnames in themselves. Specifically in the case of
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
, ''
The Great Book of Irish Genealogies ''Leabhar na nGenealach'' ("Book of Genealogies") is a massive genealogical collection written mainly in the years 1649 to 1650, at the college-house of St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway, by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh. He continued to add ...
'' compiled between 1645 – 66 by
Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius ( fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, histo ...
and edited more recently by Nollaig Ó Muraíle (2003), in Vol. II the following pre-surname population groups are listed: Eoghanacht pp 549–599 Dál Cais pp 599–633 Dealbhna pp 633–645 Clanna Céin p. 645 = Clan Cian Clann Tadch Meic Céin pp 647–661 = Clan Tadch son of Cian Síol Luighdheach meic Íochta pp 661–683 About The Cianachta - Clan Cian Clan Cian was founded and recognized by the late F. J. O'Carroll, of Éile O'Carroll, Chief of the Name. Fredrick Arthur O'Carroll, has since assumed the mantle of Chief of the Name with the backing of his Council of Chieftains. Chief Fred, descends from the ancient Kings and Princes of Éile O'Carroll. The Kingdom of Éile (Ely) resides in the heart of south-central Ireland. The O'Carroll is a recognized member of the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains. Not all of the current recognized Chiefs on the Standing Council live in Ireland, The O'Carroll, the Chief of Clan Cian, currently resides in the United States. The name Cianachta in Irish means "of the Race of Cian," and so, Clan Cian in modern English. The Cianachta were recognized as a racial group in ancient Ireland and now called again to assemble as a clan in these modern times. We are dedicated to the preservation of the Éile O'Carroll Territory including the Kingdom of Éile and the O'Carroll family and all related families histories. The clan represents the O'Carroll/Carroll families and also includes of all the related, family septs, dependent family septs of Éile O'Carroll and other parts of Ireland, and worldwide. Clan Cian has an appointed Council of Chieftains and Clan Officers that preside over certain designated regional areas appointed by The O'Carroll, Chief of Éile O'Carroll and Clan Cian. Historically according to Edward McLysaght the first Chief Herald of the newly formed Republic of Ireland, the term "clan" or "clanne" in Ireland refers to the people living within a certain territory, whereas in Scotland a clan is composed of people of a specific family. In ancient Ireland, the old kingdom of Éile O'Carroll (Éile Ui Cearbhaill) included many family surnames found today. Of those families, the powerful O'Carrolls were kings, overlords, and later chiefs of their people. A few of the major families related by blood to the O'Carrolls, which lived within the Kingdom of Éile O'Carroll were the O'Meaghers, O'Caseys, O'Haras, and O'Garas. All of these family surnames, and other related septs, are members of the Clan of Cian - the Cianachta.


Maryland

A branch of the Carrolls moved to
Colonial Maryland The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America from 1634 until 1776, when the province was one of the Thirteen Colonies that joined in supporting the American Revolution against Great Britain. In 1781, Maryla ...
and were prominent
Roman Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
. They played a formative role in the foundation of the
United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
as
Charles Carroll of Carrollton Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signatory ...
signed the
United States Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continen ...
. Second cousins of
Charles Carroll of Carrollton Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signatory ...
were
Daniel Carroll Daniel Carroll Jr. (July 22, 1730May 7, 1796) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a Maryland politician, and a plantation owner. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to ...
, who signed the
Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation, officially the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was an agreement and early body of law in the Thirteen Colonies, which served as the nation's first Constitution, frame of government during the Ameri ...
and the
U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constituti ...
, and Daniel's brother, the Bishop John Carroll, who was the first Bishop and Archbishop of the United States and Founder of
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
. A distant cousin of this branch of the Carroll family was Charles Carroll (barrister), a convert to
Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
. William Thomas Carroll (1802-1863) served as the fifth Clerk of the United States Supreme Court (from 1827 until his death). Other notable Carrolls were Brigadier General
Samuel S. Carroll Samuel Sprigg "Red" Carroll (September 21, 1832 – January 28, 1893) was a career officer in the United States Army who rose to the rank of brigadier general of the Union during the American Civil War. The Maryland native was most known fo ...
,
Thomas King Carroll Thomas King Carroll (April 29, 1793 – October 3, 1873) served as the 21st Governor of the state of Maryland in the United States from 1830 to 1831. He also served as a judge, and in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1816 to 1817. Biogra ...
and daughter Anna Ella Carroll, and James Carroll. The Carrolls of Maryland have also intermarried with the " Blenheim branch" of the
Lee family The Lee family of the United States is a historically significant Virginia and Maryland political family, whose many prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics and the military. The family became prominent in colonial Bri ...
of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. In addition to these individuals, the Mitchell family of Maryland claim descent from the aforementioned Charles Carroll of Carrollton through the line of their founding matriarch
Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson Lillie May Carroll Jackson (May 25, 1889 – July 5, 1975), pioneer civil rights activist, organizer of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP. Invariably known as "Dr. Lillie", "Ma Jackson", and the "mother of the civil rights movement", Lillie May C ...
who, in addition to being a descendant of his, is revered today as one of the earliest and most prominent of the leaders of the civil rights movement. The Carroll family are famed for the number of beautiful homes and manors they have built across Maryland. Most famous is
Doughoregan Manor Doughoregan Manor () is a plantation house and estate located on Manor Lane west of Ellicott City, Maryland, United States. Established in the early 18th century as the seat of Maryland's prominent Carroll family, it was home to Founding Fathe ...
, which remains a family seat in the possession of descendants of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who is buried there. Another early residence of this branch of the family was the Carroll House of
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
. The later
Homewood House The Homewood Museum is a historical museum located on the Johns Hopkins University campus in Baltimore, Maryland. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1971, noted as a family home of Maryland's Carroll family. It, along with Evergree ...
was the birthplace of Governor John Lee Carroll, and is now a part of
Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...
. Mount Clare, built by Charles Carroll the Barrister, a distant cousin of the Carrolls of Doughoregan Manor, is the oldest extant Colonial era structure in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
.Mount Clare Museum House
official site A partial, summarized pedigree of the Carroll family: * Domhnall O'Carroll, King of Éile (Ely) * Dónal Dhearg (the Red) O'Carroll * William Álainn (the Handsome) O'Carroll * Donogh O'Carroll * Teige O'Carroll * Donough O'Carroll * Anthony O'Carroll * Daniel O'Carroll of Aghagurty and Litterluna (1642-1688) **
Charles Carroll the Settler Charles Carroll I (1661 – 1720), sometimes called Charles Carroll the Settler to differentiate him from his son and grandson, was an Irish-born planter and lawyer who spent most of his life in the English Province of Maryland. Carroll, a Cathol ...
, (1660-1720) *** Charles Carroll of Annapolis, (1702-1782), Land sold to lay-out the town of
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, 1729 ****
Charles Carroll of Carrollton Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III, was an American politician, planter, and signatory of the Declaration of Independence. He was the only Catholic signatory ...
, (1737-1832), member of
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
, last surviving signer of
Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...
(1776), first
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
from Maryland. Laid "first stone" for
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...
, 1828. ***** Charles Carroll of Homewood, (1775-1825), constructed house, 1800; later site of
Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...
campus, 1900. ****** Charles Carroll V, (1801-1862) *******
John Lee Carroll John Lee Carroll (September 30, 1830 – February 27, 1911), a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 37th Governor of Maryland from 1876 to 1880. Early life and education Carroll was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 3 ...
, (1830-1911),
Governor of Maryland The governor of the State of Maryland is the head of government of Maryland, and is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The governor is the highest-ranking official in the state and has a broad range of appointive powers ...
(his great-grandchildren own
Doughoregan Manor Doughoregan Manor () is a plantation house and estate located on Manor Lane west of Ellicott City, Maryland, United States. Established in the early 18th century as the seat of Maryland's prominent Carroll family, it was home to Founding Fathe ...
) ******* Louisa Mary Carroll (1832-1894), married George Cavendish-Taylor (1826-1889) ******** Julia Cavendish-Taylor (1866-1931), married Phillip Benedict Joseph Petre (1864-1908), 3 children including the 16th Baron Petre *** Daniel Carroll of Duddington (1707–1734), Daniel and his wife Ann (Rozier) Carroll (1711-1764). Owned the land that would eventually become Capitol Hill including the Capitol, Library of Congress and other federal buildings. **** Charles Carroll of Duddington (1729–1773) ***** Daniel Carroll of Duddington (1764-1849) Daniel ***** Charles Carroll of Bellevue (1767-1823) ****** ****** Henry Carroll (1772-1820), Secretary to
Henry Clay Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...
,
Treaty of Ghent The Treaty of Ghent () was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. It took effect in February 1815. Both sides signed it on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent, United Netherlands (now in ...
Peace Commission ****** Charles H. Carroll (1794–1865), Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
, married Alida Van Rensselaer (1801–1832), niece of Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer and the granddaughter of Robert Van Rensselaer (1740–1802) ****** William Thomas Carroll (1802–1863), 5th Clerk of the United States Supreme Court ******* Samuel Sprigg Carroll (1831–1893), a brigadier general during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
******** Samuel Sprigg Carroll (1875-1935) ********* Mahlon Ashford Carroll (1921-2002) ****** Elizabeth Barbara Carroll (1806–1866), who was married to Henry Fitzhugh (1801–1866) ** Kean Carroll of Aghagurty (1663-1701?), brother of
Charles Carroll the Settler Charles Carroll I (1661 – 1720), sometimes called Charles Carroll the Settler to differentiate him from his son and grandson, was an Irish-born planter and lawyer who spent most of his life in the English Province of Maryland. Carroll, a Cathol ...
*** Daniel Carroll I, (1696-1751), Land sold to lay out the town of
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, 1729 ****
Daniel Carroll Daniel Carroll Jr. (July 22, 1730May 7, 1796) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a Maryland politician, and a plantation owner. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to ...
II, (1730-1796), member of
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
, one of the first United States Representatives in the House from Maryland. **** Father John Carroll, (1735-1815), later Bishop and
Archbishop of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore () is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in northern and western Maryland in the United States. It is the metropolitan see of the Ecclesiastical Province of Baltimore. The Archd ...
, first appointed to an American diocese.


Notable members

*
Maol Ruanaidh Cam Ó Cearbhaill Maol Ruanaidh Cam Ó Cearbhaill, otherwise ''An Giolla Caoch'' and ''Cam Ó Cearbhaill'', sometimes anglicised as Cam O'Kayrwill (died 10 June 1329) was a notable Irish harpist and player of the tiompan, murdered with many others at the Bragan ...
(d. 1329), musician * Daniel O'Carroll (died 1713), lieutenant-colonel of Berwick's regiment * Charles Carroll (barrister) (1723–1783), Maryland (USA) barrister *
Daniel Carroll Daniel Carroll Jr. (July 22, 1730May 7, 1796) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a Maryland politician, and a plantation owner. He supported the American Revolution, served in the Confederation Congress, was a delegate to ...
(1730–1796), U.S. politician, signatory of both the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution *
John Carroll (archbishop) John Carroll (January 8, 1735 – December 3, 1815) was an American Catholic prelate who served as the first Bishop of Baltimore, then the only diocese in the nascent United States, from 1789 to 1815. He became the first Archbishop of ...
(1735–1815), first Catholic Bishop in the United States and Founder of Georgetown University *
William Carroll (Tennessee politician) William Carroll (March 3, 1788March 22, 1844) was an American politician who served as the fifth Governor of Tennessee twice, from 1821 to 1827 and again from 1829 to 1835. He held the office longer than any other person with 12 years of service ...
(1788–1844), Governor of Tennessee * William Henry Carroll (1810–1868), Confederate Army general * Laurence Carroll (1856-1914), anti-imperial Irish Buddhist monk in British Burma, ordination name Dhammaloka * William Carroll (Australian politician) (1872–1936), Australian senator * Richard O'Carroll (killed 1916), Irish Patriot and Union Leader * Michael O'Carroll (1911-2004), Irish motoring expert and TV/Radio/Newspaper correspondent *
Julian Carroll Julian Morton Carroll (April 16, 1931 – December 10, 2023) was an American lawyer and politician from the state of Kentucky. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 54th governor of Kentucky from 1974 to 1979, succeeding Wendell F ...
(1931–2023), 54th governor of Kentucky *
Warren H. Carroll Warren Hasty Carroll (March 24, 1932 – July 17, 2011) was the founder and first president of Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He authored multiple works of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic church history. Early life and education Ca ...
, Catholic historian & author * Mella Carroll (b 1934), High Court judge, first female appointed to superior court in Ireland *
Katharine Bulbulia Katharine Bulbulia (; born 1943) is a former politician from County Waterford in Ireland. She was a Fine Gael senator from 1981 to 1989, and subsequently joined the Progressive Democrats (PDs), serving from 1997 to 2006 as a senior aide to the p ...
née O'Carroll (b 1943), Irish senator *
Tom O'Carroll Thomas Victor O'Carroll (born 1945) is a British writer (with dual Irish/British citizenship) and Pro-pedophile activism, pro-paedophile advocate. O'Carroll is a former chairman of the now disbanded Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) and was ...
(b 1945), British paedophilia advocate *
Brendan O'Carroll Brendan O'Carroll (born 17 September 1955) is an Irish actor, comedian, director, producer and writer. He is best known for portraying foul-mouthed matriarch List of Mrs. Brown's Boys characters#Agnes Brown, Agnes Brown on stage and in the BBC a ...
, (b 1955), Irish comedian *
Brian Carroll Brian Carroll (born July 20, 1981) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder, notably appearing for D.C. United Columbus Crew and Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer. He is the only player in ML ...
(b 1956), American businessman * John O'Carroll (b 1958), British artist *
Bill Carroll (broadcaster) Bill Carroll is a Canadian radio personality who has hosted talk radio shows in both Canada and the United States. He has been the host of The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll on CFRA in Ottawa since March 7, 2016. Biography Carroll was born in ...
(b 1959), American radio personality * William Allan Carroll (b 1959), professional ice hockey player * Sean B. Carroll (b 1960), American evolutionary biologist *
Sean M. Carroll Sean Michael Carroll (born October 5, 1966) is an American theoretical physicist who specializes in quantum mechanics, cosmology, and the philosophy of science. He is the Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University. He ...
(b 1966), American theoretical physicist. * Susie O'Carroll, Irish sportsperson *
Will Carroll Will Carroll (born 1970) is an American sportswriter who specializes in the coverage of medical issues, including injuries and performance-enhancing drugs. Carroll's "Under the Knife" column appeared on ''Baseball Prospectus'' for eight years duri ...
(b 1970), American sports writer


See also

*
Irish nobility The Irish nobility could be described as including persons who do, or historically did, fall into one or more of the following categories of nobility: * Gaelic nobility of Ireland: descendants in the male line of at least one historical grade ...
*
Irish royal families Irish royal families were the dynasties that once ruled large "overkingdoms" and smaller petty kingdoms on the island of Ireland. Members of some of these families still own land and live in the same broad locations. Locality Significant kingdo ...
*
Birr Castle Birr Castle ( Irish: ) is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. It is the home of the 7th Earl of Rosse and his family, and as the castle is generally not open to the public, though the grounds and gardens of the deme ...
*
Leap Castle Leap Castle (; (IPA: kaʃlʲaːn̪ˠlʲeːmʲiːˈwaːn̪ˠaːnʲ) is a castle in Roscrea, County Offaly, Ireland, about north of the town of Roscrea and south of Kinnitty on the R421. History There are varied accounts as to when exactl ...
* Saint Cronan *
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond ( – 1583), also counted as 15th or 16th, owned large part of the Irish province of Munster. In 1565 he fought the private Battle of Affane against his neighbours, the Butlers. After this, he was for so ...
*
James Fitzedmund Fitzgerald John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald (died 1589) was the hereditary Seneschal of Imokilly, an Irish nobleman of the Welsh-Norman FitzGerald dynasty in the province of Munster, who rebelled against the crown during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. ...
* Kings of Airgíalla *
Irish clans Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage-based society, originating prior to the 17th century. A clan (or in Irish, plural ) included the chief and his Patrilineality, patrilineal ...


References


Bibliography

* Glenn, Thomas Allen (1899)
Some Colonial Mansions, and those who lived in them: With Genealogies of the Various Families Mentioned
Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates & Company. * Harland, Marion (1899)
More Colonial Homesteads, and their stories
New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons. * Hoffman, Ronald; Sally D. Mason (2000). ''Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland: A Carroll Saga, 1500–1782''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. * * McDermott, Scott (2002). ''Charles Carroll of Carrollton: Faithful Revolutionary''. Scepter Publishers. * O'Hart, John (1892)
Irish Pedigrees
Dublin: James Duffy and Co. 5th edition. * Richardson, Hester Dorsey (1913)
Side-lights on Maryland history: with sketches of early Maryland families. Vol. II
Williams and Wilkins.
Ely Carroll Map
# "The General History of Ireland" by
Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating (; – ) was an Irish historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became a Catholic priest and a poet. Biography It was generally believed unt ...
(also spelt Jeoffry), D.D. Published in 1809. # "Historic Kilkenny" by Joseph C. O'Carroll, booklet, first published by "The Kilkenny People" in 1978. Reprinted in 1980,'83, '89 & '94. # Mayor John Hogan's "Kilkenny". Printed and published by P.M. Egan, in Kilkenny, in 1884. # Rev. William Carrigan, "The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory", 4 vols (1905), and Index by Helen Litton (2005) # The Deeds of Ormonde. *
Chief Herald of Ireland The Genealogical Office is an office of the Government of Ireland containing genealogical records. It includes the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland (), the authority in Ireland for heraldry. The Chief Herald authorises the granting of arm ...
* O'Hart's Irish Pedigrees * Burke's General Armorial * Armorial General Rietstap * ''Eile, Genealogy of the Kings and Chiefs of Eile (Ely) O'Carroll'' * ''Life and Correspondence of Charles Carroll by Kate Mason Rolland'' * Burkes Irish Family Records * Burkes Landed Gentry of Ireland * The Encyclopaedia of Ireland, Brian Lawlor. 2003. Gill & McMillon. 1 7171 3000 2.


External links


Clan Cian Research InformationClan Cian websiteEly Carroll
at
Family TreeDNA FamilyTreeDNA is a division of Gene by Gene, a commercial genetic testing company based in Houston, Texas. FamilyTreeDNA offers analysis of autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mitochondrial DNA to individuals for genealogical purpose. With a database o ...

O'Carroll Family History
by Colin O'Carroll

University College Cork, CELT, Corpus of Electronic Text {{DEFAULTSORT:Ocarroll Political families of the United States Irish royal families American families of Irish ancestry Families from Maryland Carroll family