The history of the Cantrall family name begins after the
Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in
Lancashire. The family descend from a Norman noble who arrived from the area of
Chantarel, Normandy with the 1066 invasion. The name is possibly derived from the Old French word
chanterelle, which translates in English to
a small bell.Early Origins of the Cantrall family
The surname Cantrall was first found in
Lancashire where they held a
family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of
Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Cantrall family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cantrall research.
Another 163 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 120 and 1200 are included under the topic Early Cantrall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cantrall Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. When the
Normans became the ruling people of
England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Cantrell, Cantrel, Cantrill, Cantril, Chantrell and many more.
Early Notables of the Cantrall family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Cantrall Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cantrall family to Ireland
Some of the Cantrall family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cantrall family to the New World and Oceana
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in
England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Cantrall or a variant listed above were: William Cantrill who settled in Virginia in 1608, twelve years before the "Mayflower," was descended from Humphrey Cantrill from Woodley Wokingham. The family settled in Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania and New York.
The Cantrall 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: Propio vos sanguine pasco
Motto Translation: I feed you with kindred blood.