Carter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England-Alt 
  England 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


The ancestry of the name Carter can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a name for 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 Carter family

The surname Carter 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 Carter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carter 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 Carter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carter Spelling Variations

Carter has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Carter have been found, including Carter, Carters and others.

Early Notables of the Carter family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Carter World Ranking

In the United States, the name Carter is the 40th most popular surname with an estimated 402,894 people with that name. 8 However, in Canada, the name Carter is ranked the 156th most popular surname with an estimated 22,153 people with that name. 9 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Carter is the 171st popular surname with an estimated 232 people with that name. 10 Australia ranks Carter as 78th with 31,209 people. 11 New Zealand ranks Carter as 64th with 4,990 people. 12 The United Kingdom ranks Carter as 64th with 71,127 people. 13

Migration of the Carter family to Ireland

Some of the Carter 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.


Carter migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Carters to arrive on North American shores:

Carter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Carter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Carter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Carter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Carter migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carter Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Carter Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Carter migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Carter Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Carter Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Carter 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:

Carter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Carter migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 26
Carter Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Carter (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Carter +
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