Julie,
As far as I have found in my research, the Carawans are neither Native
Americans or from the Outer Banks. I have found that they were Irish
from County Galway who migrated to Dorchester County, Maryland in the
mid to late 1600s, and then our branch moved down to Hyde County before
1750. The name in Ireland and Maryland was Kirwan which was changed to
Carawan. In some Dorchester Co., MD records, both Kirwan and Carawan
are used in the same document.
I don't know about you, but I really enjoy being Irish!!!
John McGowan
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Hi John,
I am Julie Brown from Richmond, VA. My folks grew up in Belhaven and my lineage goes
back on both sides in Hyde, Old Bath, Beaufort & Pamlico Counties. I've seen your
surname a lot in my Hyde research. Anyhow, someone emailed me a while back and told the
me the Carawan name in this area was of Native American origin. I had always assumed it
was Irish. I don't have my info. w/ me now but I think I traced the 1st Carawan from
Md. to the Outer Banks.
What do you know of this?
Thanks,
Julie