Hello! My name is Heather and I was born Oct. 2,1970 in N. Plainfield,NJ. I was adopted at 2yrs old. I found out that my birth name was Dorothy Margaret Carlough and my fathers name is George Carlough. Im looking for information about my heritage.People have told me I look irish/scottish. Is it true? Is Carlough a Scottish last name? If anyone knows anything please feel free to email me at ladyluck197011@yahoo.com.

This is in reply to Heather’s (ladyluck197011@yahoo.com) June 18, 2006, posting to the RootsWeb CARLOUGH Message Board titled “background.” The surname CARLOUGH is an Anglicized version of the German surname GERLACH. The CARLOUGH family is descended from Coenraad GERLACH, who was one of three GERLACH brothers to migrate to America in the early 1700s. See the following report which appears on my home page for further information about Coenraad and his family:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/i/l/Susan-E-Til...

I do not find the name Dorothy Margaret CARLOUGH in my database at this time. I have numerous George CARLOUGHs in my database, but none that appear to be the right age to have been your father.

Susan Cearlock Tilleman (Stilleman@satx.rr.com)
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/i/l/Susan-E-Til...

While I'm sure there's a line who anglicized Gerlach to Carlough/Carlock/etc, I always understood that there was another explanation, and that Carlough is a variation on Carlow and other names originating in Scotland. According to House of Names and everything else I've ever read about...

Carlough Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Name History
Origin Displayed: Scottish

An ancient Pictish-Scottish family was the first to use the name Carlough. It is a name for someone who lived in Aberdeen (part of the modern Grampian region), where the name can be found since very early times.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carle, Carley, Carlley, Carrley, Carlie, Carleigh, Carlea, Carlee, Carrlie, Carlies, Carleys, Carleas, Carlay, Carley, Carrlay, Carrley, Carrleys, Karley and many more.

First found in Aberdeen where they were seated from very ancient times, some say before the Conquest in 1066.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Elizabeth Carle who settled in the Barbados in 1669; George Carle settled in Philadelphia Pa. in 1751; Michael Carle settled in 1736 in Philadelphia; William Carley settled in Virginia in 1760.

Source: http://www.houseofnames.com/coatofarms_details.asp?sId=&...

I also read in a library book, about 15-20 years ago, that Carlough is a "place" surname from Carlowrie, Scotland. I don't have a link or a book name for this, but I guess it's worth looking into if possible.

I just took a DNA Tribes genetic ancestry test which informed me that I have roots around Dundee, Scotland and the Carlough line is the only possible match for this. Anyway, Dundee isn't very far from Aberdeen. Just a thought. :)

I have been contacted by a direct male CARLOCK descendant who has had the Y chromosome DNA test done through Ancestry.com and would like to know if any other male CARLOCKs, CARLOUGHs, etc., have also had the same test done so that a comparison can be done. If you have already had this test done or would be interested in doing so, please contact Reed at the following address:
adastracat@comcast.net

The following report which appears on my home page shows how this German GERLACH/GERLOCH family has branched into the American GARLOCK, CARLOCK, CARELOCK, CEARLOCK, and CARLOUGH families, as well as two branches of the CURLOCK family:
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/i/l/Susan-E-Til...

A similar study on my PYLE line has been very fruitful, and, in fact, has provided one of the puzzle pieces to help me finally find the connection that I had been working on for 30 years.

Susan CEARLOCK Tilleman
List Administrator of the RootsWeb CARELOCK, CARLOCK, CARLOUGH, CEARLOCK, and GARLOCK mailing lists
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/t/i/l/Susan-E-Til...