This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Charles'; German, Carl.' Charlys, propyr name, Carolus': Promptorium Parvulorum.

Colina Charles, Norfolk, Henry III- Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

Charles (without surname), Kent, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Edward Charles, Suffolk, ibid.

William Charle, Norfolk, ibid.

Alan Charle, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Ida Carle, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Ralph Carles, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

William Carolus, Norfolk, ibid.

1482. William Cherlys, vicar of Great Ellingham, Norfolk: History of Norfolk.

1551. Baptised — John Charles: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1585-6. Tertullian Pyne and Mary Charles: Marriage Lic. (London).

1621. Baptised — Thomas, s. George and Jone Charles: St. Michael, Cornhill.

From the personal name Charles, Latinized Carolus. It is rarely found as a forename before the reign of Charles I. John Charles to compear before the justice in Aberdeen, 1569 (RPC., I, p. 674). Alexander Charles, William Charles, and Oliver Charles in Gairth, Evie, Orkney, 1649 (Inquis., 3538—9). William Charles, barrowman, St. Andrews, c. 1688 (PSAS., LIV, p. 238).

(Anglo-French-Teut.) Man [French Charles (Latin Carolus); Teutonic Carl, Karl, man]

A synonym of Corless, q.v

(English) Descendant of Charles (man); one who came from Charles (rock palace), in Devonshire.

“from St. Karles de Parcy, in the Cotentin. This family, then named Charles, was seated in many parts of England in the thirteenth century.” —The Norman People. The manor of Charles, in the parish of Dartford, “was formerly a branch of the estate of an ancient family from which it took its name; one of whom was Edward Charles, Captain and Admiral of the Fleet from the Thames mouth northwards, as appears by the patent 34 Ed. I.” - Hasted's Kent. Some others of the family are incidentally mentioned. Richard Charles was knight of the shire in 1319: and, at about the same date, Robert Charles of Godington, w ho held some land about Hilden in Tunbridge parish, was Bailiff of the Forest there to Robert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. “Godington continued in this name down to Richard Charles of Addington, who died without male issue 11 Ric. II.”—Ibid. The name is also found in Norfolk, Devon, and Stratford in Warwickshire. Among the Bannerets, in a Roll of Arms temp. Ed. II., occurs: “Sire Edward Charles de Ermyne od le chef de goules a IIJ mascles de ermyne.” This Sir Edward, styled of Clyffe (in Yorkshire), must, as it seems to me, be identical with Edward I.’s Admiral. At Stratford-on-Avon the name is sometimes given as Carles. In Norfolk D. Colina Charles held of Robert Passelew. Westcote speaks of “a gentle family of this name,” of Charles (sometimes written Charneis) in the parish of High Bray, and of Charleston. Five generations of them were seated at Tavistock prior to the reign of Queen Elizabeth; and one of them acquired Moreton through Marjorie, daughter and heiress of Richard Ford of Fordmore. They bore Ermine on a chief wavy Gules an eagle displayed Or.

1. The baptismal name. 2. A parish in co. Devon. In H.R. it is found as a surname without prefix.

(German.) From carl, strong, stout, courageous, and valiant. The Hungarians called a king by the general name Carl, and Scaliger makes Carl—man the same as the Greek άυδρέας.

From St. Karles de Parcy, in the Cotentin. This family, then named Charles, was seated in many parts of England in the 13th century.

A Norman name: Chalais; a local name

In 1728, Charles Coe occupied the estates of Osey Island and Chigboroughs in Great Totham (J.). Further references to this ancient East Anglian name will be found under "Norfolk," "Suffolk," and "Cambridgeshire".