Carson
Usually a patronymic surname meaning “son of Carl/Charles” or, in some cases, “son of Carr/Cair,” a nickname or place-based form.
The #593 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,429 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The most common explanation is that Carson is a patronymic surname built on a personal name such as Carl or Charles, with the final -son meaning “son of.” Some 19th-century writers also linked it to a shorter form Car or Carr, treating it as “the son of Car.” In Scottish and Irish contexts, similar forms may sometimes overlap with names derived from Gaelic roots or local place-names, so the surname can have more than one historical pathway.
History
The name appears in medieval records in northern England and Scotland, and it became well established in Lowland Scotland. It is especially associated with Scotland and Ulster in later surname history, then spread widely in the English-speaking world through migration. The surname also became familiar as a given-name-based family name in North America, where it is now fairly common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname was discussed by several 19th-century etymologists, but even they did not fully agree on whether the root was Charles, Car, or another short personal name.
From the historical record
“Forth, of Falkirk, &c. CARSON. Probably Charles's son. CAR STAIRS. A parish in Lanarkshire. CARSWELL. A parish united with Buclvland, co. Berks. CARTER. The occupation — a driver of carts. In medieval documents Carectariua and Le Carectar, CARTERET. A parish adjoining Bar-”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom