Carl Family History
Carl Name Meaning
German: variant of Karl and in North America (also) an altered form of this. English and Scottish: status name from Middle English carl ‘free peasant’ later ‘bondman’ also ‘bloke knave rascal’ (from Old Norse karl ‘man’). This is the usual source of the surname in England and Scotland. English: occasionally perhaps from the comparatively rare Middle English personal name Carl ultimately from ancient Germanic karl ‘man freeman’. In continental Europe German Karl and its cognates in other languages were and are extremely popular personal names. It is the source via French of the English personal name Charles . Americanized form of Dutch and Czech Karel .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022