Born James Rivett, his surname was legally changed to Rivett-Carnac by royal licence in 1801 when his father James, a member of the Bombay Government Council and chairman of the East India Company, was made testamentary by his brother-in-law, General
John Carnac, the husband of Elizabeth Rivett (1751–1780). In 1815 he married Anna-Maria Richardes, the eldest daughter of William Richardes of Penglais, and had three sons:
John (1818–1893), William (1822–1874) and Charles (1824–1902). His descendants include the sailor
Charles Rivett-Carnac and the Canadian police commissioner
Charles Rivett-Carnac, as well as the colonial administrator
Sir Richard Temple and his son
Sir Richard Carnac Temple and the fashion designer
Lulu Guinness. In 1836 Rivett-Carnac was
made a baronet. He died on 28 January 1846 at what was Rookcliff House,
Milford-on-Sea. His younger brother, Admiral
John Rivett-Carnac (1796–1869), was an early explorer of
Western Australia. == References ==