Show ContentsCartghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many generations and branches of the Cartghan family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a person who builds carts. Another alternative origin of this surname is guard which is derived from the Old English word Caretarius or Carda. 1 2

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed William Cartier, of Normandy, 1195 and Ralph Caretarius, of Winchester, 1148. 3

Early Origins of the Cartghan family

The surname Cartghan was first found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Jocius Caretarius, Oxfordshire; Juliana le Cartere, Cambridgeshire; Nicholas le Carter, Oxfordshire; John le Cartere, Norfolk; Robert le Caretter, Huntingdonshire; and Margaret le Careter, Huntingdonshire were all listed, some still in their Latin form of the name. 4

The name is "well distributed over England. It is best represented in Cheshire and Essex, and afterwards in Cambridgeshire, Devon, and Sussex." 5

By the 15th and 16th centuries, the family was also found in Scotland. "James Cartare witness in Edinburgh, 1439. Hob Carter was a tenant on lands of the Abbey of Kelso, 1567." 6

Early History of the Cartghan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cartghan research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1250, 1530, 1534, 1540, 1553, 1554, 1584, 1590, 1605, 1608, 1617, 1619, 1635, 1637, 1642, 1648, 1654, 1655, 1656, 1660, 1668, 1672, 1676, 1684, 1735, 1745, 1751, 1769 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Cartghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cartghan Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Cartghan were recorded, including Carter, Carters and others.

Early Notables of the Cartghan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Oliver Carter (1540?-1605), English divine, probably a native of that part of Richmondshire which is in the county of Lancaster.Peter Carter (1530?-1590), was a writer on logic, a native of Lancashire, and took the degree of B.A. at St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1553-1534. William Carter (d. 1584), was a printer, son of John Carter, a draper of London. John Carter the Elder (1554-1635), was an English divine, born at Wickham, Kent, in 1554, educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge.John Carter the Younger (d. 1655), was also a divine, born in his father's parish...
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cartghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Cartghan family to Ireland

Some of the Cartghan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 111 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cartghan family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Cartghan family emigrate to North America: Ambrose Carter, who settled in Virginia in 1663; Thomas Carter and his wife Frances, who came to Philadelphia in 1685 with their children Thomas, Henry, Ann, and John, Chris Carter, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1705.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. 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)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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