This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Carey,' a great West-country surname. Mr. Lower, quoting Sir Bernard Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, says, 'Cary: the ancient family of Cary derives its surname from the manor of Cary, or Kari, as it is called in Domesday Book, lying in the parish of St. Giles-on-the-Heath, near Launceston.'

John de Cary, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Roger de Cary, Somerset, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

1545. Henry Carey and Ann Morgan: Marriage Lic (Faculty Office).

1592. Buried —John Cary: St. James, Clerkenwell.

(Celtic) 1 belonging to Carew or Carey = the Forts [Welsh caerau, pl. of caer, a fort, castle] 2 Carey also = Keary, q.v.

See the discussion on these names in Notes and Queries, 2nd August, 1902, pp. 92-3.

Of Norman origin, formerly de Carron, this family is long associated mainly with Co. Tipperary. Bibl; MIF 249

(English) One who came from Carew (fort), in Pembrokeshire.

The Carews of Wales, Cornwall, &c., are descended from Gerald de Carrio, called by Giraldus Cambrensis (his relative) Gerald de Windsor and Fitz-Walter, who was castellan of Pembroke castle under Arnulf de Montgomery. He married Nest, a concubine of King Henry I., and had two sons; William Fitzgerald, the progenitor of the Carews, and Maurice who accompanied Strongbow into Ireland, and founded the FitzGeralds, Geraldines, and Geralds of that country. Gent. Mag., May, 1829. Carew castle is near Milford Haven. Carey is said to be another form of this name, which circ. 1300 was spelt De Carru.

The Carews of the West of England pronounce their name as if written Carey, and hence the surnames have been accounted identical. See Anecdote in English Surn. ii. 39. See, however, Cary.

A family said to be descended from Gerald de Carrio. According to some Carey is another form of this name, which circ. 1300 was spelt De Carru. Indeed the Carews of the West of Eugland pronounce their name Cary. Some say the ancient family of Cary derived its name from the manor of Cary or Kari (as it is called in Domesday), in the parish of St. Giles-oa-the-Heath, near Launceston. Carew Castle is near Milford Haven. Carew says his family was denominated from one Carrow or Karrow that came into England with the Conqueror. Hals says the arms of the. Carrows and Carews are the same. He suggests some absurd etymologies of the name. It has been derived from carau, a stag, pl. carew; caer-cau, a Cornish-French compound, would translate the castle on the water, and cAy-ar-eau, the house on the water. It may also be from car, a rock. Carrew, Carrey, and Carry are perhaps the same name.

(Welsh.) Derived from the castle of Carrw, in Wales. The castle by the water, from Caer, castle or fort, and ew, water.

Local. From the manor of Cary or Kari, as spelled in the Doomsday Book, in the parish of St. Giles, near Launceston, England. Cary, in the British, signifies beloved, dear. This name may be the same as Carew.

A branch of Fitzgerald.

(Cornish), Caer wy, Castle on the water (variant: Carr); or Carw wy, Stag's water.

A location name in Pembrokesh.

The Carews were one of the most ancient and distinguished of Devonshire families, but the name is now uncommon in the county, and, therefore, does not occur in my list. The first Carews, said to be of Norman blood, came into the county from Wales in the 13th century (H. R.).