Extensive research over the past 15 years by Mr Colin Carlin, of Bath,
England, makes it clear that the name Carlin derives from many sources. One
of these sources is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and the first Holy Roman
Empire. From Charle and Charles comes Carl; this also comes from the name
Charles in Latin. Carlin, and its variants (including Carlun, Carlon, and
Carolan, among others), may come from the Carolean emperor of Christian
Europe, Charlemagne.
You can easily see some of this yourself:
Carolean = Carolan = Carlin, Carlan, etc.
"The Song of Roland," the famous Middle French chanson, written c. 1100,
makes more than twelve references to Carlon and Carlun. An analysis of this
classic poem/song by Claire Carlin, Ph.D., associate professor of French at
the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, makes it clear that
Carlon and Carlun are clear references to Charlemagne. This is confirmed by
other academic experts on medieval French history.
Thus, "The Song of Roland" confirms Colin Carlin's hypothesis that the
Emperor Charlemagne's name was a source, particularly in France and western
Europe, of the name Carolan and the name Carlin. How and why this occurred
is another story entirely. It may have been a result of Charles the Great's
popularity, with people naming their children after the popular ruler. It
may have been a result of soldiers who were part of the first Crusade in
Spain honoring Charles, the leader of their Crusade. It may have resulted
from other factors.
But the research by Colin Carlin, of Bath, England,
and the analysis by Claire Carlin, Ph.D., of Victoria, BC,
make it clear that Carlin, Carlun, Carlan, Carlun, Carlon and
Carolan, plus other Carlin variants, derive, in substantial
part, from Charles the Great (Charlemagne).
Some of this information has been posted to The Carlin Archives Online in
"DRAFT" format. The material currently posted is completely tentative, but
still valid. The complete analysis by Prof. Claire Carlin will be posted
within no more than a week, and that will be definitive. You might want to
glance at the website now, to see how "The Song of Roland" confirms what
we've discussed above, and to look at it again at the end of the month, by
which time it will include Dr. Carlin's complete and detailed analysis.
The URL for "The Song of Roland" and the origins of
the Carlin and Carolan name is:
http://www.attorney.carlin.net/roland.htm
The URL for the full list of variants of the Carlin name is:
http://www.attorney.carlin.net/variants.htm