This is a most interesting surname, which can be described as European, but of Ancient Greek origins, and found in its various forms throughout the western world. These spellings include Carp, Carpe, Karp, Karpe, Karpov, Karpeev, Karpf, Karppi, Karpman, Karpfen, Karpenya, Karpets, Karpenko, Karpychev, Karpushkin, and many others. It is said to originate from the Greek word "karpos" meaning fruit, and was originally used as a personal name of endearment. Brought back to Northern Europe in the 12th century by the returning Crusaders who used Greece as their base for the various assaults on the Muslim held city of Jerusalem, it achieved a fair level of popularity everywhere.
It is said that the original name holder was a follower of St Paul, and an early bishop, and as such he is mentioned in one of the Epistles. Certainly the Greek Orthodox church have no doubt as to his former status, and they regard him as a saint. The Russians have always held a high regard for church orthodoxy and they probably have more people with the name than anywhere else. Unfortunately Russian registers are either poor or non existent, and meaningful recordings from this source are difficult to find. The earliest of all recordings is probably that of Emecho Carpo of Mainz in Germany in the year 1270, with Joslin Karpfens being recorded in the charters of the city of Freiburg in 1425. In England Jeames Carpe was a christening witness at the church of St Mary Magdalene, in the old (pre 1666 fire) city of London, on February 8th 1628, whilst Henry Carp, this now being the usual spelling, being recorded at St Lukes church, Finsbury, on December 7th 1800.
Discovering the historical roots of carp is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. Research into the possible origins of carp leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname carp is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname carp. There is a considerable probability that carp has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where carp is most abundant are the following. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname carp provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical chronicle of carp is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named carp are found in every look back in the history of this lineage. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname carp, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of carp developed.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname carp, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of carp could be modified. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about carp and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished carps throughout human history. We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname carp, even though not all have been documented to our present day. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname carp were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname carp who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of carp. The bibliography collects information related to the surname carp, which allows us to learn more about its meaning. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of carp are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of carp, and at the same time, of surnames in general.