What doesmy surname means?
According to Spanish dictionaries it's "the meaty part below the cheecks", or a "polley" but... that explains nothing... for it's even said to be a diminutive of "car" which is said to be celtic for "wheeled vehicle" but... Isn't that idea too "unceltic"? Any help with it's etymology I would love.
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According to Gutierre TIBON this surname corresponds to the english surnames Cheek or Cheeks.
It comes from a nickname. The traces of the name in Spain are very old:1241. But in my opinion the real meaning of Carrillo is not very clear.
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www.jtosti.com/noms has something to say about Carrillo (in French, unfortunately). Tosti accepts that the name means "cheek", and suggests that it is a nickname for a glutton. He adds the cautionary note that we cannot know the mediaeval mindset that produced such a nickname.
For myself I don't think we should too hastily dismiss a connection between carrillo and carro, carreta, etc. It's possible that this is a metonym for someone who drove or built carts.
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Everythingis possible! But the spanish surnames from CARRO are:

CARRILO
CARRILERO
CARRION

See the dictionary of Gutierre TIBON / Dictionary of Spanish surnames
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Thanks, that makes things a lot clearer :D
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