 The original Anglo-Saxon was "Ċearl" or "Ċeorl", as the name of King Cearl of Mercia, that disappeared after the Norman conquest of England.The name was notably borne by Charlemagne (Charles the Great), and was at the time Latinized as "Karolus" (as in "Vita Karoli Magni"), later also as "Carolus".The name's etymology is a Common Germanic noun "*karlaz" meaning "free man", which survives in English as churl (< Old English "ċeorl"), which developed its deprecating sense in the Middle English period.