Carlton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,135 as of the 2020 Census. The origin of Carlton's name is dis…Carlton is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,135 as of the 2020 Census. The origin of Carlton's name is disputed. An ex-county commissioner claims that the name was derived from Wilson Carl, whereas A. E. Bones, postmaster at Carlton, stated in a 1925 letter that it was named for John Carl, Sr., at the request of R. R. Thompson. These men may have been part of the same family.