Baron Carew is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1605. The first recipient, Sir George Carew (1555–1629), was later made Earl of Totnes in 1626. Both titles became extinct on his death as he left no heirs.

The next two creations were in favour of the same person, Robert Shapland Carew (1787–1856), who had previously represented County Wexford in the House of Commons and served as Lord Lieutenant of County Wexford. In 1834 he was created Baron Carew in the Peerage of Ireland and in 1838 he was made Baron Carew, of Castle Boro in the County of Wexford, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His eldest son, the second Baron, sat as Liberal Member of Parliament for County Waterford and was Lord Lieutenant of County Wexford.

On the death of his younger son, the fourth Baron, this line of the family failed. The late Baron was succeeded by his first cousin, the fifth Baron. He was the son of the Hon. Shapland Francis Carew, younger son of the first Baron. His son, the sixth Baron, assumed in 1938 by deed poll the additional surname of Conolly, which was that of his maternal grandfather. As of 2014^[update] the titles are held by his son, the seventh Baron, who succeeded in 1994.

Between 1956 and 1965 the sixth Baron was the owner of Castletown House and Estate in County Kildare, regarded as one of Ireland's finest country houses and now a museum open to the public and in the ownership of the Irish State.

The original family seat was Woodstown House in County Waterford,^[2] but is now Donadea House, near Naas, County Kildare.