Carew

Carew is a Welsh language and Cornish Language habitation type surname; it has also been used as a synonym for the Irish patronymic Ó Corráin. Carey can be a variant.

The Cambro-Norman Carew family sprang from the same stock as the FitzGeralds: viz. from the union of Gerald de Windsor alias Gerald FitzWalter (1070-1136), the Norman Constable of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire and Nest ferch Rhys, Princess of Deheubarth, the 'Helen of Wales'.[1] These Carews descend from Gerald and Nest's oldest son William FitzGerald de Carew. The family home was at Carew, Pembrokeshire, Welsh language 'Caeriw', from a fortified site and later castle, originally a holding of Nest's royal father, Rhys Ap Tewdwr. The usual derivation offered is that the root word is 'caer', Middle Welsh for 'fort';[2] the second element being possibly 'rhiw' - 'slope',[3] or 'yw' - 'yew' (tree). The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park website has 'Caerau - fort (Locally pron Carey)'.[4]

First, as will be shown below, not all modern Carews are of Carew, Pembrokeshire stock; some bear the name from cognate Cornish origins;[5] and others as an Anglicised form, together with Carey, of the Irish patronymic Ó Corráin/Ó Carráin.[6]

Secondly, some true Carews in Wales may have received their name in the variant form of 'Carey' or 'Cary', which is a traditional local pronunciation of the place Carew (see above), another version being 'Care-ew'.[7] John Marius Wilson's 'Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales' (1870–72) has 'Carew, or Carey, a village and a parish in the district and county of Pembroke'. Bannister (1871) writes that Carew is 'pronounced Car'-ew in Ireland; Car-ew' in Devon; Carey in Cornwall and Wales' (my italics).[8] However, Carey in Britain generally is either from any one of at least six immigrant Gaelic-Irish patronymics Anglicised thus,[9] or is from a Pre-Celtic[10] or Celtic language river/habitation name in Somerset and Devon.[11]

Gerald FitzWalter's second son Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan and grandson Raymond de Carreu, 'le Gros', took part, alongside Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, or 'Strongbow', in the invasion of Ireland in 1171. The 'invasion' was almost a family affair, with many of the Cambro-Norman protagonists related through the matriarchal and 'polygamous' Nest: among the cousins of the Geraldines were Robert FitzStephen, Robert de Barry et al.

In Ireland, after the invasion, the de Carreus, or Carews, held the barony of Idrone in County Carlow, without relinquishing their holdings in Britain. William de Carreu (d. 1213), held both manors of Carew and Idrone.[12] Maurice de Carreu was in Edward 1's Irish Parliament in 1300. Raymond de Carreu appears in Irish records in 1302. Sir John Carew (d. 1362), who also held the manor of Moulsford in Berkshire, was Justiciar of Ireland.[13]

Another Norman branch, which may or may not be related to the Idrone Carews, said to be descended from Adam Montgomery de Carrew, settled in East Cork, at Garryvoe, on the Waterford border in the 12th century.[14] This family is described in 'British Museum Funeral Certificates', MS. No. 4820. They feature frequently in the 'Fiants' (Tudor records): e.g. John Careue of Garryvoe, 1582; Redmond & Peirse Carewe, 1600.[15] They forfeited Garryvoe, as rebels against Cromwell's 'Commonwealth' in 1656. Paul MacCotter has claimed in 'Irish Roots' (1997) that the rare East Cork Carews survive under the form 'Carey';[16] although the Garryvoe family definitely died out in the male line in the 1660s (Brit Mus.MS 4820); and Carey in this area is regarded as an Anglicisation of Ó Ciaráin.[17]

There is recorded evidence for Carew being used as a synonym of the Munster surname Ó Corráin/Ó Carráin. The 'Court of Claims' in Ireland, 15 July 1663, adjudicates a request for return of lands in and around Mobernan in County Tipperary forfeited by 'Teige Carrue alias O Carron'.[18] Donald O Carrane of Mobernayne, 1586 was his ancestor.[15] By the 17th century the Mobernan O Corrain sept had widely adopted Carew as an Anglicised form of their name: Conor Carew of Mobarnan, was a representative at the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny, 1642.[19] Thomas Carue (alias O Corrain) of Mobernan appears in the Dictionary of National Biography[20] His brother, Sir Ross Carey, appears on the 1661 memorial of Anne Hyde, his wife, in Westminster Abbey.[21]

Some Carews, according to family legend/family trees, moved from Pembrokeshire to the English West Country, and settled in Crowcombe in Somerset, Haccombe in Devon and Antony House in Cornwall.[22] There the name has occasionally been used interchangeably, in records such as the 'Patent Rolls', with the indigenous Cary of the West Country, causing no little confusion. It has been claimed that 'Carey' is a variant of Carew in Cornwall,[3] (neither name there is numerous). However, this claim seems to be based on the Carew family of Antony being allegedly known by the byname 'Carey' (Hanks & Hodges, op. cit. 1988), whereas this gentry family were usually known as 'Carew' not 'Carey'.

It is also highly likely that the surnames Carew and Carrow in Cornwall are variants of Cornish locative names such as Kerrow, Caroe &c. with derivations from either Celtic 'car/ker'- 'fort' or pre-Celtic 'car'- 'stone/stony'.[23] This would mean that at least some Cornish Carews are indigenous to Cornwall, and therefore have no connection with the Welsh/Norman immigrant Carews of Antony.

In England the family became influential. The Devon Carews became Earls of Totness (1625, extinct 1629).[12] A Devon man, Sir George Carew was President of Munster temp. Elizabeth 1st.[24] Ironically, given the supposed family connection, one of his more formidable tasks was the destruction of the FitzGerald Earls of Desmond.

Cornishman Richard Carew of Antony was a noted late 16th century historian of Cornwall; he wrote the fascinating 'Survey of Cornwall', published in 1602. Another family member, Alexander Carew, 2nd Baronet of Antony, was executed by Parliament for his lackadaisical support of their 'cause' in 1644. His half brother, John Carew, was a keener supporter of Cromwell: he was Commonwealth M.P. for Cornwall, and a signatory to the execution of Charles 1st; thus as a 'regicide' he was hanged, drawn and quartered by the returning royalists in 1660.

The Cambro-Norman Pembrokeshire Carew arms are 'Or, three lioncels passant, sable'.

Notable Carews

See also

References

  1. ↑ Burke, Sir Bernard (1866). A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire. p. 102.
  2. ↑ editor, Patrick Hanks, (2003). Dictionary of American family names (e-reference ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195081374.
  3. 1 2 Hanks, Patrick; Gold, Flavia Hodges ; special consultant for Jewish names, David L. (1988). A dictionary of surnames (Reprinted ed.). Oxford [England]: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192115928.
  4. ↑ "Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - Know Your Place Names". Pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  5. ↑ J. Bannister, 'A Glossary of Cornish Names...', 1871 online at http://archive.org/stream/glossaryofcornis00bann#page/22/mode/1up/search/Carew; and Patrick Hanks, 'Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2003
  6. ↑ Paul MacCotter, 'The Anglo-Norman Surnames of Ireland' (Part 111), 'Irish Roots' magazine, 1997 online at http://www.irishabroad.com/yourroots/genealogy/names/anglonorman/part3.asp
  7. ↑ "Carew Castle - Pembrokeshire - Bluestone Wales". Bluestone Wales. 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  8. ↑ J. Bannister, 'A Glossary of Cornish Names...', 1871 online at http://archive.org/stream/glossaryofcornis00bann#page/22/mode/1up/search/Carew
  9. ↑ Dr Edward MacLysaght, 'The Surnames of Ireland', Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985; also P. Woulfe, 'Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, Dublin, 1913. at website http://www.sloinne.ie/surname/en/carey/ with Foras na Gaeilge; see also the British Census for 1871, 1881 in Lancashire etc
  10. ↑ see Castle Cary, So. and Carey, De. in Victor Watts, 'Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names', Cambridge University Press, 2004
  11. ↑ Patrick Hanks, 'Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, 2003. See also http://archive.org/stream/devoncarys01harr#page/12/mode/2up Online version of 'The Devon Carys',New York, 1920. Kari Manor is in 'Exon Domesday', fol. 3168
  12. 1 2 Burke, Sir Bernard, 'Dormant & Extinct Peerage', 1866
  13. ↑ Calendar of State Papers relating to Ireland, Index of Persons, National Library of Ireland
  14. ↑ Burke, 'General Armory', 1884 online at https://archive.org/stream/generalarmoryofe00burk#page/174/mode/2up
  15. 1 2 'Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, 1521-1603' official letters patent unique to Ireland (British Library, National Library of Ireland etc.)
  16. ↑ P. MacCotter, 'The Anglo-Norman Surnames of Ireland' (Part 111), 'Irish Roots' magazine, 1997
  17. ↑ Dr Edward MacLysaght, 'Irish Families', Irish Academic Press, Dublin, 1985
  18. ↑ 'Court of Claims, Submissions and Evidence, 1663', The Irish Manuscripts Commission
  19. ↑ Dr. Edward MacLysaght, 'More Irish Families', Irish Academic Press, 1982
  20. ↑ Thomas Carve, 'Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, several editions
  21. ↑ Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, 'Historical Memorials of Westminster Abbey', London : John Murray, 1886, page 296, at http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Historical_Memorials_of_Westminster_Abbey_v1_1000570973/393
  22. ↑ Burke, Sir Bernard, 'Dormant and Extinct Peerage...', 1866 online at http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1DEGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA102-
  23. ↑ J. Bannister, 'A Glossary of Cornish Names...', 1871 online at http://archive.org/stream/glossaryofcornis00bann#page/22/mode/1up
  24. ↑ Calendar of State Papers relating to Ireland, National Library of Ireland
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