Carew Castle Across Mill Pond, above, via Wikimedia/Creative Commons

The Carew name has a long history, dating back to the Anglo-Normans in Wales. Since those days, it has spread across England, into Ireland and Scotland, and found its way to Australia, Canada, and the United States. But how far has it gone, and how do they connect to each other? 

That's the question I asked myself. 

The most famous of the Carews have sat adjacent to the ruling heads of England, represented Ireland, escaped the famine in Canada, run the bases in the States, and built an dynasty represented both by a Welsh castle and an American skyscraper. But there are many more in the wings, going about their lives in the periphery of history, their origins shrouded from its eyes. Who were these people, and how were they kin to the rest? What line connects Sir Peter Carew, brash dissident Catholic pirate, and Joseph T Carew, American department store magnate?

At present, the answers are murky and vast. This study, in its early stages, seeks to trace the history of the name into each of the corners of the world. Efforts are well underway in the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the States, with others still to come.