Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Charles m. Old High German karl 'man', Old English c(e)arl, ceorl 'freeman'.

The name of numerous kings and emperors in France, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, England, Portugal, Norway, Bohemia, Spain, and Italy, a 12th C Flemish saint, a 14th C Breton saint, and a 16th C Italian saint.

The prominence of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) helped contribute to the name's enduring popularity.

Austria
Latin
798 Carolo (abl) UrkStyria 2, Karoli (gen) ibid. 1, Karolo (dat) ibid. 3; 813 caroli (gen) UBEnns-1 II
Belgium
Latin
779 Caroli (gen) OrkGZ no. 12, Carolus (nom) ibid. no. 12; 1238 Karolum (acc) OvdFB 3
Dutch
1503 Karel MPSA p. 59; 1504 Charles ibid. p. 59; 1505 Charles ibid. p. 60; 1506 Charles ibid. p. 60; 1507 Charles ibid. p. 51 [sic]; 1509 Charles ibid. p. 51 [sic]; 1516 Charles ibid. p. 55 [sic]; 1518 Charles ibid. p. 56 [sic]; 1519 Charles ibid. p. 56 [sic]; 1526 Charles ibid. p. 59 [sic]; 1528 Charles ibid. p. 59 [sic]; 1529 Charles ibid. p. 60 [sic]; 1530 Charles ibid. p. 60 [sic]; 1531 Charles ibid. p. 61; 1532 Charles ibid. p. 61; 1535 Charles ibid. p. 62; 1538 Charles ibid. p. 61 [sic]; 1554 Charles ibid. p. 69; 1557 Charles ibid. p. 71; 1558 Charles ibid. p. 71; 1560 Charles ibid. p. 72; 1561 Charles ibid. p. 73; 1562 Charles ibid. p. 73; 1563 Charles ibid. p. 74; 1564 Charles ibid. p. 74; 1571 Charles ibid. p. 78; 1574 Charles ibid. p. 79; 1576 Charles ibid. p. 80; 1580 Charles ibid. p. 82; 1592 Charles ibid. p. 87; 1597x1598 Caerel BoonenGes p. 322, Carel ibid. p. 322, Charles ibid. p. 344
Early New High German
1572 Carln (dat) MHCG2 342, Karle (nom) ibid. 342
Czech Republic
Latin
1316 Karulo (abl) RTT-1.1 X; 1345 Karolo (abl) CDEM-7.2 614, Karolum (acc) ibid. 622, Karolus (nom) ibid. 607, Karolvm (acc) ibid. 614; 1356 Karolus (nom) chlumecky 128; 1373 Carolus (nom) LDFPUP1 p. 25; 1382 Carolus (nom) ibid. p. 10; 1383 Carolus (nom) ibid. p. 26
Denmark
Latin
1362 Karls (gen) MIRGPCM4 XVI-V
England
Latin
1348 Caroli (gen) SocAntNor-3-3 no. 10, Carolum (acc) ibid. no. 9; 1349 Karoli (gen) ibid. no. 11, Karolum (acc) ibid. no. 11; 1357 Karolo (abl) ibid. no. 23; 1565 Carolus (nom) RegSoABap p. 10; 1566/7 Carolus (nom) ibid. p. 13; 1568 Charolus (nom) ibid. p. 14; 1573 Carolus (nom) Chst-1 p. 12; 1576 Caroli (gen) AuFr Drossaert; 1588 Carolus (nom) ibid. Peene; 1593 Carolus (nom) ibid. Simons, Charles (nom) RegSoAMar p. 16
Dutch
1573 Carel AuFr Ootgheer; 1577 Kaerle ibid. Peene; 1579 Karel ibid. Peene; 1580 Carrel ibid. Peene; 1583 Karel ibid. Peene; 1584 Chaerles ibid. Basijn; 1585 Karel ibid. Peene; 1586 Karel ibid. Peene; 1587 Carel ibid. Peene, Charle ibid. Burgrave, Charles ibid. Sorhier; 1588 Carel ibid. Peene, Kaerle ibid. Wiest; 1589 Carel ibid. Peene, Kaerel ibid. Waerde, Kaerle ibid. p. 83; 1590 Carel ibid. Peene; 1591 Carle ibid. p. 91; 1592 Carel ibid. Peene, Charles ibid. Costere; 1593 Caerle ibid. Man, Charles ibid. Coster; 1594 Carel ibid. Man, Charles ibid. Quirijns, Kaerle ibid. Man; 1595 Charles ibid. Coster, Kaerle ibid. Wiest; 1596 Carel ibid. Man; 1598 Carel ibid. Man, Charles ibid. Hugebout
Early Modern English
1530 Charlys LIWill-III p. 9; 1550 Charles BEmar-vol1 p. 4; 1555/6 Charles ibid. p. 5; 1561 Charles CAmar-vol1 p. 2, RegBisham p. 19; 1565 Charles CAmar-vol1 p. 2; 1569 Charles SurMus II; 1570 Charles RegBisham p. 3; 1571/2 Charles ibid. p. 3; 1572/3 Charles SurMus p. 172; 1573/4 Charles RegBisham p. 3; 1574 Charles SurMus p. 179; 1575 Charles StAnthonlin p. 24; 1576 Charles CAmar-vol1 p. 3, StAnthonlin p. 25; 1577 Charles RegBisham p. 28; 1578 Charles StAnthonlin p. 26; 1583 Charells RegBath p. 5; 1583/4 Charles RegBisham p. 20; 1583 Charles ibid. p. 29; 1583/4 Charles SurMus p. 17; 1583 Charles ibid. p. 180; 1584 Charles RegBisham p. 4, SurMus p. 189; 1588 Charles DEmar-vol2 p. 15; 1590 Charles Bar-in-El p. 31; 1591 Charles DEmar-vol2 p. 22; 1593 Charles SaxhamSf p. 57; 1597 Charles DEmar-vol1 p. 87, bruton1 p. 124; 1598 Charles Bar-in-El p. 33; 1599 Charles DEmar-vol2 p. 41, SaxhamSf p. 5
Middle French
1567 Charles WCS p. 3; 1569/70 Charles ibid. p. 5; 1570 Charles ibid. p. 40; 1572 Charles ibid. p. 7; 1572/3 Charles ibid. p. 7; 1575 Charles ibid. p. 11; 1576 Charles ibid. p. 12; 1577 Charles ibid. p. 13; 1578 Charles ibid. p. 43; 1579 Charles ibid. p. 44; 1583 charles ibid. p. 46; 1584 Charles ibid. p. 46; 1586 Charles ibid. p. 47; 1588 Charles ibid. p. 22; 1590 Charles ibid. p. 49; 1594 Charles ibid. p. 25
Walloon
1581 Charles RWC p. 3; 1581/2 Charles ibid. p. 4; 1582 Charles ibid. p. 4; 1582/3 Charles ibid. p. 6; 1583/4 Charles ibid. p. 437; 1583 Charles ibid. p. 7; 1584 Charles ibid. p. 8; 1590 Charles ibid. p. 13; 1590/1 Charles ibid. p. 15; 1591 Charles ibid. p. 16; 1592 Carle ibid. p. 23, Charles ibid. p. 22; 1592/3 Charles ibid. p. 25; 1593/4 Charle ibid. p. 31, Charles ibid. p. 31; 1593 Charles ibid. p. 564; 1594/5 Charles ibid. p. 35; 1594 Charles ibid. p. 564; 1595 Charle ibid. p. 39, Charles ibid. p. 37; 1596 Charles ibid. p. 41; 1597 Charle ibid. p. 45, Charles ibid. p. 45; 1598 Charles ibid. p. 48; 1598/9 Charles ibid. p. 50; 1599 Charles ibid. p. 52
Finland
Old Swedish
1405 Karl (nom) SDHK no. 16441
Early Modern Swedish
1548 Kariill (nom) Audén1980 p. 169
France
Latin
780 Carolo (abl) CartNoaille I; p800 Karoli (gen) InsMacon II, Karolus (nom) ibid. II; 854 Caroli (gen) ibid. VII, Karolus (nom) ibid. VII; 862 Karoli (gen) ibid. IX, Karolo (abl) ibid. IX, Karolus (nom) ibid. IX; c862 Karolus (nom) ibid. VIII; 862x876 Karolus (nom) ibid. X; 876 Karolus (nom) ibid. XI; 1268 Karolo (abl) ChartBB I; 1364 Karolus (nom) ActsCharlesV no. 10; 1365 Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 275; 1367 Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 415; 1378 Caroli (gen) hanquetvol1 493, Karoli (gen) ibid. 30, Karolo (dat) ibid. 30, Karolus (nom) ibid. 351; 1444/5 Karolo (abl) ArcGir17 no. XXIX; 1450 Karoli (gen) ChronMaillezais p. 167; 1503 Karolo (abl) MHCG2 278; 1534 Carolus (nom) ibid. 305; 1564 Carolus (nom) FlorLyon p. 172
Middle French
1356 Charles HistHdVParis no. 3; 1358 Charle LeCoq p. 366, Charles ibid. p. 383; 1364/5 Charles ActsCharlesV no. 160; 1364 Charles ibid. no. 3; 1365 Charles ibid. no. 212; 1366 Charles ibid. no. 299; 1366/7 Charles ibid. no. 368; 1367 Charles ibid. no. 393; 1367/8 Charles ibid. no. 426; 1392 Charles MemBret-II col. 608; 1393 Charles ibid. col. 620; 1404 Charles HistHdVParis no. 4; 1415[1469x1471] Carles Waurin p. 228, Charles ibid. p. 224; 1418 Charles DdB1418 p. 208; 1421 Charles favier 322; 1438 Charles NotSLdN VI, favier p. 267; 1504 Charles HistHdVParis no. 6; 1534 Charles MHCG2 304; 1551 Charles HistHdVParis no. 21b; 1562 Charles RegPCC-1 p. 8; 1563 Charles ibid. p. 19; 1564 Charles ibid. p. 93; 1565 Charles ibid. p. 178; 1566 Charles ibid. p. 204; 1567 Charles ibid. p. 299; 1568 Charles ibid. p. 401; 1570 Charles ibid. p. 424; 1571 Charles HistHdVParis nos. 26, 27, RegPCC-1 p. 441; 1587 Charles RTFProvins 29; 1588 Charles raymond1588 p. 565
1392 Charlot MemBret-II col. 602; 1418 Charlot DdB1418 p. 204, HGParis p. 380; 1421 Charlot Laroche no. 6, favier 1226; 1423 Charlot ibid. 343; 1438 Charlot ibid. 250; 1493 Charlot MSR1838 p. 376; 1565 Charlot RegPCC-1 p. 125; 1567 Charlot ibid. p. 309; 1571 Charlot ibid. p. 589
Germany
Latin
726 Karoli (gen) OrkGZ no. 7, Karolo (abl) ibid. no. 7, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 7; 772 Karoli (gen) ibid. no. 9; 776x798 Karolo (abl) ibid. no. 10, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 10; 779 Karoli (gen) quix-vol1 1, Karolus (nom) ibid. 1; 786 Caroli (gen) HambUrk-vol1 I, Carolus (nom) ibid. I; 788 Karoli (gen) ibid. II, Karolus (nom) ibid. II; 790x814 Karolus (nom) ibid. III; 793x794 Caroli (gen) OrkGZ no. 13; 795x800 Karolus (nom) HambUrk-vol1 IV; 802 Caroli (gen) FRA-XXXL 7, Carolo (abl) ibid. 7, Karoli (gen) ibid. 8; 811 Karolus (nom) UrkStyria 4; 819 Karoli (gen) ibid. 5; 844 Karoli (gen) quix-vol1 2; 855 Karoli (gen) ibid. 3, Karolus (nom) ibid. 3; 882 Caroli (gen) ibid. 96, Carolus (nom) ibid. 96; 887 Karoli (nom) ibid. 4, Karolus (nom) ibid. 4; 888 Karolus (nom) ibid. 5; 930 Karoli (gen) ibid. 10, Karolus (nom) ibid. 10; 966 Karoli (gen) ibid. 13, Karolus (nom) ibid. 13; 972 Karolus (nom) ibid. 15; 997 Karoli (gen) ibid. 16; 998 Karoli (gen) ibid. 18; 1000 Karolo (abl) ibid. 19; 1165 Karolus (nom) ibid. 93
Early New High German
1497 Karel Nurn1497 2653, Karll ibid. 1722
Hungary
Latin
1317 Carolum (acc) CDH-VIII-II VII, Carolus (nom) ibid. I, Karulus (nom) ibid. IV
Ireland
Latin
1433 Carolo (dat) RegOct 116; 1434 Carolo (dat) ibid. 120
Early Modern English
1526 Charles Fiants-1 12
Italy
Latin
780 Karolo (abl) RCI-Cam1 1; 855 Karolo (dat) OrkGZ no. 44; 1282 Carolo (abl) DSS5-1-4 X, Carolum (acc) ibid. I, Carulum (acc) ibid. IV; 1302 Karuli (gen) ActDipVeneto-I-1 p. 52; 1304 Karolum (acc) ibid. p. 56; 1376 Carlo (abl) DouGen1 p. 29; 1391 Caroli (gen) Venditti I-1; 1393 Carolus (nom) sajanello-2 p. 19; 1464 Carolus (nom) CUP-III-I CCXXXI; 1488 Carolus (nom) CID-3 XCIII, Karolus (nom) MHCG2 248; 1491 Caroli (gen) ibid. 250; 1522x1532 Carolus (nom) DSF p. 51, 21; 1527 Carolus (nom) Rome1527 p. 87
1267 Carlinus (nom) BBC-Berg p. XLI; 1271 Carlini (gen) ibid. p. XLII; 1282 Carlini (gen) ibid. p. XLVII; 1285 Carlecti (gen) Perugia1285 p. 156; 1376 Carloto (abl) DouGen1 p. 36; 1464 Carlinus (nom) CUP-III-I CCXXXI
Italian
1429–1430 Carlo DiaryLMA p. 207, Karlo ibid. p. 207; 1513x1521 Carlo LeoX p. 27
The Netherlands
Latin
777 Karoli (gen) OrkGZ no. 11, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 11; 794 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 15; 796 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 16; 797 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 17; 799 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 18; 800 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 19; 805 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 24; 806 Carli (gen) ibid. no. 25; 870 Carolus (nom) ibid. no. 54, Karoli (gen) ibid. no. 54, Karolum (acc) ibid. no. 54; 875 Caroli (gen) ibid. no. 55, Carolus (nom) ibid. no. 55; 876 Carolo (abl) ibid. no. 56; 882 Carolus (nom) ibid. no. 59, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 59
Poland
Latin
1345 Carolo (abl) CDEM-7.2 628
Romania
Latin
1317 Karolus (nom) CDH-VIII-II II
Scotland
Latin
c1100 Carl (gen) ESC XX
Spain
Latin
875 Caroli (gen) CDCB-XV MMXVI; 896 Karulo (abl) ibid. MMXIX; 898 Karulo (abl) ibid. MMXXI; 899 Karulo (abl) ibid. MMXXII; 1491 Karoli (gen) carbonell-I p. 52
Catalan
1510 Carles valencia1510 475
Spanish
1524 Carlos PHGCRP-III no. 134; 1575 Carlos Catalogo-5.2 3846
Sweden
Latin
1310 karolus (nom) SDHK 2384; 1350 Karls (gen) ibid. no. 6000, Karoli (gen) ibid. no. 6015, Karolo (dat) ibid. no. 6023, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 6002; 1352 Karoli (gen) ibid. no. 6486; 1356 Karolo (abl) ibid. no. 7002, Karolus (nom) ibid. no. 7001
Old Swedish
1377 Karl (nom) SDHK no. 11085, Karls (gen) ibid. no. 11085; 1379 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 11470; 1383 Kaarls (gen) SRA-vol2 no. 1933, Karl ibid. no. 1905, Karls (gen) ibid. no. 1898; 1401 Karls (gen) SDHK no. 15698; 1409 Carl (nom) ibid. no. 17269, Karl (nom) ibid. no. 17265, Karle (dat) ibid. no. 17271, Karls (gen) ibid. no. 17369; 1410 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 17505; 1411 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 17627; 1412 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 17900; 1414 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 18236; 1415 Karll (nom) ibid. no. 18466; 1416 Carl (nom) ibid. no. 18817; 1419 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 19273; 1420 Karl (nom) ibid. no. 19436, Karls (gen) ibid. no. 19553; 1519 Karl (nom) HGS p. 154; 1520 Karl (nom) ibid. p. 154
Early Modern Swedish
1542 Karl (nom) HGS p. 158
Switzerland
Latin
1518 Karolus (nom) MHCG2 291
Middle French
1431 Charles MHCG2 476; 1495 Charle ibid. 260; 1545 Charle ibid. 313; 1550 Charles ibid. 321; 1552 Charle ibid. 323; 1553 Charles ibid. 324; 1577 Carle ibid. 343
Cite as: A. Brown, R. Le Get, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Charles". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Charles.