An haifi George Denis Patrick Carlin a ranar 12 ga Mayu, 1937, a Manhattan, New York, ƙaramin ɗan sakatare Mary Carlin (née Bearey) da kuma manajan talla na The Sun Patrick John Carlin. Mahaifinsa dan asalin Irish ne daga County Donegal High School, yayin da mahaifiyarsa ta kasance Irish-American. Mahaifin mahaifiyar Carlin, Dennis Bearey, dan asalin Irish ne wanda ya yi aiki a matsayin jami'in NYPD. Carlin ya tuna cewa sunan mahaifiyarsa O'Grady ne, amma an canza shi zuwa Grady kafin ta isa Amurka.
Rundunar Sojojin Sama