Surname Charlaw - Meaning and Origin

Charlaw: What does the surname Charlaw mean?

The last name Charlaw is believed to be of English or French origin. It is a variation of the French name "Charleaux" which meant "small Charles". The French version of the name could have been derived from the name Charles, a popular first name among the French.

In England, the last name Charlaw is believed to have originated in Somerset, where people bearing the name Charlaw were first found. The name originates from the Old English word "ceorl", meaning "man", which was also the basis of the French name Charles.

The surname Charlaw could have also been derived from the manor of Charlaw in Bedfordshire. It was initially known as Chorley, however, after the Norman Conquest the manor was given by William the Conqueror to his follower, Geoffrey de Chosela. Through the accumulation of wealth and land, this manor was eventually known as Charlaw.

In modern times, the last name Charlaw is a popular surname among many English speaking countries. It is a well-known name throughout Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Charlaw: Where does the name Charlaw come from?

The last name Charlaw is most commonly found today in the United States, particularly the Midwest, but also in Canada, South America, Australia, and other parts of the world.

In the United States, the surname is mainly concentrated in cities like Cincinnati, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dallas. Within those cities, Charlaw is seen in large metropolitan areas and in the suburbs, as well as in rural communities and small towns. It is also present in the states of Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, California, and Florida.

In Canada, the surname is mainly concentrated in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta, though it is also found in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Quebec.

As for the rest of the world, the surname Charlaw can be found in places like South America, Europe, and Asia, with large populations in Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, France, Brazil, and Argentina. It is also found in parts of India and South Africa.

Regardless of where it is found, the surname Charlaw generally has the same origin story – derived from the Medieval Latin word "carolus," which means "strong and virile," as well as "law," a reference to someone who owned or held title to land.

Variations of the surname Charlaw

The surname Charlaw is derived from the Old English personal name Ceol, which was derived from the Proto-Indo-European root word kel, meaning “to conceal” or “hide”. The name has been around since the 12th century. The variations, spellings and surnames of Charlaw include:

Charles: This version of the surname is the most popular, derived from the Old French name “Charles”, which means “man”. This spelling was especially popular in England and France, especially in the 16th century.

Charlew: This spelling of the surname is more common in the United States.

Carlew: This spelling of the surname is more common in Scotland.

Chalaw: This version of the surname is more commonly used in Arabic-speaking countries, and is pronounced differently than the usual spelling.

Charleton: This spelling of the Charlaw surname includes the addition of the Old English name “Ton”, which means “town or settlement”.

Charlao: Another Arabic variation of the surname, which uses the approximate pronunciation of the French variation above.

Charleigh: This surname combines elements of the spelling of “Charles” and “Leigh”, the Old English word for “meadow”.

Charlss: This is a variant spelling of the surname in England and France.

Carless: This spelling of the surname was more common in Ireland.

Charlot: This variation is a combination of the French word “Charles” and the Old English name “Ot”, which means “wealthy”.

There are also some variations which include spelling combinations of the personal name “Ceol” and suffixes such as “-son” or “-ing”, which are used to denote a patronymic or male lineage. Some examples include Ceolling, Ceowson and Ceoring.

In summary, the surname Charlaw has a range of different variants, spellings and surnames, which have their roots in Old English, Old French and Arabic. Some of the more popular spellings include Charles, Charlew, Carlew, Chalaw, Charleton, Charlao, Charleigh, Charlss and Carless. Additionally, there are also some unique variations which combine elements of the personal name “Ceol” with suffixes such as “-son” and “-ing”.

Famous people with the name Charlaw

• Clément Charlaw: French singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer
• Ned Charlaw: British actor and comedian
• Saul Charlaw: American actor and voice actor
• Rosalyn Charlaw: British singer-songwriter
• Vivien Charlaw: Canadian journalist, author, and television presenter
• Wilfred Charlaw: Irish actor
• Beatrix Charlaw: English theatre and television actress
• Ricky Charlaw: American actor
• Mason Charlaw: Canadian television presenter and entrepreneur
• Johnny Charlaw: American singer, songwriter, and producer

Other surnames

CharlaffCharlapCharlesCharlesonCharlow