Show ContentsCartridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient name of Cartridge finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a maker of carts, and wheels. The name has its origins in the Old English word craet, which means cart, and the Old English word wyrtha, which means wright or maker, thereby denoting one who was the maker of carts or wagons. 1

The name could also have been "from Cauterêts; a location name in Normandy Cateray in Roll of Battell Abbey. De Ceterith, a tenant in chief in the Domesday Book. " 2

Another source notes the family is "armorially identified with Cateryke, or Catherick (Robson). Catherick was part of the demesne of the Earls of Richmond, and the surname therefore probably arose from tenure of the office of Seneschal by a branch of a neighbouring family. The arms (a fesse) are those of the adjoining family of De Smythton or Eschalers, with three cinquefoils for difference, which were afterwards corrupted into ‘roses', 'Catherine wheels', and ‘fire-balls with rays.’ Of this family Ilbert de Catherege, or Catherage (a form of Catheric), occurs in Normandy, 1180-98 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); which shows the Norman origin of the family. A branch long remained at Stanwick, in Richmondshire, close to Catterick. Another branch was seated in Notts, and one in Cambridge; and the name there changed from Cateryke to Cartwright." 3

Early Origins of the Cartridge family

The surname Cartridge was first found in Yorkshire where early rolls listed the name as a profession and a surname. The Poll Tax of Howdenshire (East Riding of Yorkshire) listed Robert le Cartwright. B. Johannes Toppe, cartwryght. In the same year the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed: Magota Cartwryght; Henriciis Wryght, catrwryght (sic); Johannes Warde, cartwright; Johannes Percivale, cartwryght and Geoffrey Cartewirght. 4

Early History of the Cartridge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cartridge research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1535, 1602, 1603, 1611, 1634, 1635, 1643, 1658, 1659, 1661, 1676, 1686, 1689, 1703 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Cartridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cartridge Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Cartridge family name include Cartwright, Cartright, Cartwrite, Carthright, Kartwright, Kartright, Cartrite, Kartwrite, Chartwright, Cartrite, Catherick, Cartrait, Cartray, Ceterith, Cateray, Cautheret, Carterwright, Carterright, Carterrite, Chartright, Chartwright, Cardwright and many more.

Early Notables of the Cartridge family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603), described by Strype (Annals, ii. i. c. 1) as 'the head and most learned of that sect of dissenters then called Puritans,' was a native of Hertfordshire, but his place of birth is not recorded." 5 Christopher Cartwright (1602-1658), was an English divine, born in the parish of St. Michael-le-Belfry, York. He was a Hebraist and used targums in Biblical exegesis, following the lead of Henry Ainsworth with John Weemes. 5 William Cartwright (1634-1676), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659; Thomas Cartwright (1634-1689), was an...
Another 140 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cartridge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Cartridge migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Cartridge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Amy Cartridge, aged 42, a nurse, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. 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. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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