Show ContentsCartaret History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Cartaret is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cartaret family lived in Normandy, where they were the seigneurs of Carteret, near Barneville, in the arrondissement of Valognes. They lived there before the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. 1

Early Origins of the Cartaret family

The surname Cartaret was first found in Normandy, where this distinguished family held a family seat in the arrondisement of Valognes from ancient times.

The name is found early in Jersey. "Its seigneur took part in the Conquest of England, 1066. The Jersey family left the parent stock in the reign of Philip Augustus, and another descendant was created Lord Carteret in England." 2

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III listed Philip de Cartaret; John de Carteret; and Geoffrey de Carteret, Jersey as all living in Jersey at that time.

Some of the family were found on Sark (or Serk) a small island about 6 miles from Guernsey. "In 1565, Queen Elizabeth granted it in fee-farm, by letters-patent under the great seal, to Hilary de Carteret, Esq., by the twentieth part of a knight's fee." 3

Early History of the Cartaret family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cartaret research. Another 304 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1035, 1066, 1096, 1129, 1155, 1159, 1272, 1307, 1584, 1596, 1599, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1617, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1650, 1663, 1665, 1670, 1672, 1673, 1679, 1680, 1690, 1693, 1715, 1725 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Cartaret History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cartaret Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Cartaret include Carteret, Cartrett, Carteraye, Cartaret and many more.

Early Notables of the Cartaret family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Philip Carteret (1584-1643), the first Governor of Jersey (1665-1673.) "Collins in his 'History of the Family of Carteret' states that Sir George was born in 1599, but this seems to be merely an inference from the statement that he was about eighty at the time of his death. On the other hand his mother, Elizabeth Dumaresq, did not marry Helier de Carteret until 1608 (Payne, Armorial of Jersey, p. 113), and one of the complaints of the inhabitants of Jersey against Sir Philip de Carteret in 1642 charges him with entrusting the...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cartaret Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cartaret family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Cartarets to arrive on North American shores: James Carteret, who came to Carolina in 1622; George Carteret, who settled in Canada in 1643; Peter Carteret, who arrived in Carolina sometime between 1650 and 1699.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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