435 Global CARTIN Family Members

CARTIN Family History

Recorded in the spellings of MacCartan, Cartan, Carton, Cartin, Carten, MacKartan, Kartane, and possibly others, this is, in the 20th century, both an English locational surname and an Irish and Ulster patronymic clan surname. For many nameholders the surname derives from the 12th century Mac Airtain, itself a diminutive of the original and highly popular, pre 6th century baptismal name Art(hur). The clan were the chiefs of Kinelarty, in County Down, which is also known as MacArtans Country. However from the 17th century onwards the name came to be confused with the "settler" surname Carton, from the Olde English pre 7th centuary "carr-tun", meaning the place by the rocks, to the point where now it is very difficult to separate the origins.