| ![Show Contents]() Cantan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Early Origins of the Cantan familyThe surname Cantan was first found in the East Riding of Yorkshire at Ganton, a parish, in the union of Scarborough, wapentake of Dickering. "The church is a large and handsome structure of the 14th century, and has an embattled tower at the west end, surmounted by a commanding spire." 1 The first record of the name was John Galmeton who held estates in that shire in the North Riding at Ganton. 2 A canton is a type of administrative division of a country, a term that dates back centuries. The term is derived from the French word canton, meaning corner or district. 3 Phonetically, it is worth noting that Centwine or Kenten (d. 685), was King of the West Saxons, the son of Cynegils and the brother of Cenwalh. "Accepting the statement of Bæda (Eccl. Hist. iv. 12) that after Cenwalh's death the under-kings of the West Saxons divided the kingdom between them for about ten years, we must hold that Centwine had considerably less power than his brother had enjoyed. The 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,' however, says nothing of any such division. " 4 Early History of the Cantan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cantan research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1234, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Cantan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cantan Spelling VariationsUntil the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Cantan include Gamton, Ganton, Canton, Candon, Gandon, Ganden, Canden and many more. Early Notables of the Cantan familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cantan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cantan familyThousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Cantan were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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