Charles Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Charles last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Charles last name
Meaning of the Charles last name: free man. The Charles surname comes from the Germanic first name Karl, "free man", made famous by Charlemagne, emperor of the Franks. As a last name it began with a father called Charles and is widespread across France. It also took root in England and Wales after the Stuart kings. A curious detail: the surname is especially frequent in Haiti and the French Caribbean.
Arms associated with the Charles name
In France a coat of arms was used by town families and merchants as well as knights, and heraldry associated with the Charles name belongs to that wide tradition.
Get your full Charles family history
This is only a glimpse of the Charles story. The full Charles history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Charles coat of arms. Get the full Charles report.
Charles name FAQ
What does the Charles name mean?
Free man. Common variants include Charle, Karl, Carl.
Where does the Charles surname come from?
It originates in France, and is also found in the United Kingdom, Haiti and the United States.
Is there a Charles coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Charles coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Albert Dauzat & Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France; Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).