Cantor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Etymology of Cantor

What does the name Cantor mean?

The founding heritage of the Cantor family is in the Anglo-Saxon culture that once dominated in Britain. The name Cantor comes from when one of the family worked as a choirmaster. Checking further we found the name was derived from the word cantor, the Latin word for precentor. The name could have also come from the Old English word gaunter which was the trade name of a glover, or one who makes gloves.

Early Origins of the Cantor family

The surname Cantor was first found in Oxfordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Cantor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cantor research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1273 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Cantor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cantor Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Cantor has been spelled many different ways, including Caunter, Canter, Ganter, Gaunter, Cantor, Cantour, Cauntor and many more.

Early Notables of the Cantor family

More information is included under the topic Early Cantor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cantor Ranking

the United States, the name Cantor is the 6,881^st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Cantor family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Cantors to arrive in North America: Lester Ganter who arrived in New England in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Cantor (post 1700) +

Eddie Cantor (1892-1964), American performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter
Kenny Cantor (1938-2019), English comedian
Norman F. Cantor (1929-2004), Canadian Rhodes Scholar and historian
Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Philipp Cantor (1845-1918), German mathematician

The Cantor Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Quam non terret hyems
Motto Translation: Which winger does not nip with cold.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/