Cantor Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available: English, German

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The founding heritage of the Cantor family is in the Anglo-Saxon culture that once dominated in Britain. The name Cantor comes from when one of the family worked as a choirmaster. Checking further we found the name was derived from the word cantor, the Latin word for precentor. The name could have also come from the Old English word gaunter which was the trade name of a glover, or one who makes gloves.

Cantor Early Origins

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The surname Cantor was first found in Oxfordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Cantor Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Cantor has been spelled many different ways, including Caunter, Canter, Ganter, Gaunter, Cantor, Cantour, Cauntor and many more.

Cantor Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cantor research. Another 383 words (27 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1273, and 1500 are included under the topic Early Cantor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cantor Early Notables (pre 1700)

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

The Great Migration

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Cantors to arrive in North America: Lester Ganter who arrived in New England in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Cantor (post 1700)

Eddie Cantor (1892-1964), American performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter
Norman F. Cantor (1929-2004), Canadian Rhodes Scholar and historian
Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Philipp Cantor (1845-1918), German mathematician

Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Quam non terret hyems
Motto Translation: Which winger does not nip with cold.

Cantor Family Crest Products

Citations

Other References

Humble, Richard. The Fall of Saxon England. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-88029-987-8).
Dunkling, Leslie. Dictionary of Surnames. Toronto: Collins, 1998. Print. (ISBN 0004720598).
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).
Thirsk, Joan. The Agrarian History of England and Wales. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 7 Volumes. Print.
Marcharn, Frederick George. A Constitutional History of Modern England 1485 to the Present. London: Harper and Brothers, 1960. Print.
Bardsley, C.W. A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6).
Mills, A.D. Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4).
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8).
Bowman, George Ernest. The Mayflower Reader A Selection of Articales from The Mayflower Descendent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Crozier, William Armstrong Edition. Crozier's General Armory A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. New York: Fox, Duffield, 1904. Print.
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The Cantor Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Cantor Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 2 March 2011 at 14:09.