Catterson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Catterson is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a caterer. The surname Catterson was an official name, "the cater," derived from the Old French ale catour, a title meaning a buyer of groceries for the gentleman's house. They were in charge of maintaining provisions in manors and castles. The cater's job assumed a great importance during extended sieges of his lord's castle, which could last for years.

Early Origins of the Catterson family

The surname Catterson was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. William le Catur who was documented in the year 1273 in Essex and a few years later, Bernard le Acatour was listed in 1300 in Somerset. William Katerer was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379.

Early History of the Catterson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Catterson research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1150 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Catterson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Catterson Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Catterson include Cater, Cator, Cather, Catter, Cader and others.

Early Notables of the Catterson family

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

Migration of the Catterson family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: George Cater who settled in Virginia in 1642; Mary Cator, who came to Virginia in 1726; Sarah Cater, who settled in New England in 1760; Andrew and Jane Cather, who arrived in New York in 1823 with their three children.

Contemporary Notables of the name Catterson (post 1700) +

Thomas Henry Catterson (1884-1920), American Major League Baseball outfielder player for the Brooklyn Superbas from 1908 to 1909
Robert Francis Catterson (1835-1914), American physician and general officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, Mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas (1871-1873)
James M. Catterson, American jurist, Associate Justice of the First Judicial Department (2004-2012), Justice on the New York Supreme Court, 10th Judicial District (1999-2004)
Eileen Catterson (b. 1970), Scottish fashion model and former Miss Scotland