Find out what your Irish surname means and your family name's origin in our comprehensive list of common Irish last names. Irish surnames are one of the most intriguing parts of our culture and finding your last name's origin can tell you a lot about the Irish people you are descended from.
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The Carroll coat of arms. By Louise Carroll, Contributor
The O’Carrolls go back to the third century King Oilioll Olum of Munster. Their name derives from Cearbhaill, who was the Brian Boru in 1014 at the battle of Clontarf.
Cearbhaill means warlike champion and the O’Carrolls have lived up to the name. Carvill and MacCarvill are anglicized versions of Carroll and are mostly to be found in Ulster.
The O’Carrolls’ senior septs were the chieftains of O’Carroll Ely (Tipperary and Offaly) and O’Carroll Oriel (Monaghan and Louth). They struggled to hold onto their land, which proved particularly difficult when it was illegal for Catholics to own land in Ireland. Ultimately the O’Carrolls came under the subordination of the crown in 1627, which marked the end of the Ely O’Carroll chieftains.