Green’s Dictionary of Slang

having red hair; often, in comb. with a given name, used as a nickname.

1653		Mercurius Democritus 21-28 Sept. 591: A red-haired, carrot-bearded Chimney sweeper.
1709		N. Ward Compleat and Humorous Account of Remarkable Clubs (1756) 62: A third, with a Carrotty Wig matted into Elf-locks.
1731		Proceedings at Sessions (City of London) Jan. 18/1: Margaret Lamb, alias Niggy of St. Martins in the Fields, [...] together with Carroty Peg, was indicted for assaulting Noel Lubert.
1748		Smollett Roderick Random (1979) 67: Laying strong injunctions on me not to appear before Mr. Cringer till I had parted with these carroty locks, which (he said) were sufficient to beget an antipathy against me.
1756		J. Cox Narrative of Thief-takers, alias Thief-makers 33: She particularly noticed Thomas Blee, who had a long carroty Beard.
1764		K. O’Hara Midas III i: His carroty locks / As red as a fox.
1773		Stamford Mercury 18 Feb. 4/4: Stevens is [...] well grown, with light brown hair tied behind, his eye-brows and beard rather carrotty.
1789		Newcastle Courant 5 Dec. 1/1: One of the said Highwaymen [was] pitted with the smallpox, carrotty hair, dressed in black.
a.1796		‘Green Grow the Rashes’ in Farmer Merry Songs and Ballads (1897) I 261: She loot me see her carrot cunt, / And sell’d it for a lobster, O.
1796		Hants. Chron. 16 June 3/3: No ladies of the name of Carrotty Bess, Bumping Moll, Goggle-eyed Nan, or Draggle-tail Jenny were of the party.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1821–6		‘Bill Truck’ Man o’ War’s Man (1843) 109: He made his slasher play round Jerry’s carroty mop.
1822		D. Carey Life in Paris 8: All the women are carrotty and peevish.
1830		J.B. Skillman N.Y. Police Reports 52: Mary Long [...] would pass in Egypt for a captivating woman, except that she has carrotty hair.
1838		R. Nicholson Cockney Adventures 24 Feb. 135: The attorney (who was a tall carroty man).
1840		T. Hood ‘Miss Kilmansegg & Her Precious Leg’ Poems (1846) I 124: He rubb’d, poor soul, / His carroty poll.
1841		Sun. Flash (NY) 12 Sept. n.p.: She carried her carrotty poll to the height of six feet.
1845		Bell’s Life in Sydney 27 Sept. 3/1: Peter Brenan, a carotty-headed brickmaker.
1849		Sam Sly 6 Jan. 3/1: He advises a young and amiable lady [...] not to make such violent love to a carotty-headed boy, about fifteen or sixteen years of age.
1854		Thackeray Newcomes I 207: Tom is here with a fine carrotty beard.
1866		Greenwood A Little Ragamuffin 216: You drunken, draggle-tail, carroty scoundrel.
1875		‘Aliph Cheem’ Lays of Ind (1905) 94: He was ‘vulgar’ and ‘carroty-haired’.
1876		C. Hindley Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 178: ‘Carroty Charley,’ the detective who was employed in the case.
1882		Daily Tel. 6 Oct. 2: The elder carrotty boy [...] and the carrotty baby their child.
1891		A. Wright Baboo Eng. 56: Captain Stuart R. Lee, a short carrotty-whiskered [...] officer.
1892		J. Newman Scamping Tricks 100: Do you remember Carrotty Jack?
1899		W.T. Goodge ‘Dan the Bullocky’ in Hits, Skits and Jingles n.p.: Wait for Carrotty Dan of Coona’bran, the bullocky from the Bland!
1901		Rock Is. Argus (IL) 28 Oct. 2/4: I bought them from ‘Carrotty Mike’ for a pin.
1904		Truth (Brisbane) 10 Apr. 5/3: ‘Twenty-seven and a quarter it is,’ said the carroty headed biped with the book.
1912		H. Champion ‘C.A.R.R.O.T.Y.’ [monologue] All he left me for my share / Was a lovely head of carrotty hair / [...] / They all shout, ‘Wotcha, Carroty!’.
1913		P. Macgill ‘Ballad of the Long Dam’ Songs of the Dead End 95: Carroty Dan had some teeth bunged out.
1923		P. MacGill Moleskin Joe 52: Your Carroty Sclatterguff? I’d know your skin on a bush. God was tired of his work the day He made you, Carroty.
1931		B. Lubbock Bully Hayes 75: His carroty locks and freckles.
1940		O. Strange Sudden Takes the Trail 61: ‘What’s doin’, Boss?’ the carroty one inquired.
1978		S. King Stand (1990) 282: A young man with carroty hair.