Carterett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Carterett is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Carterett family lived in Normandy, where they were the seigneurs of Carteret, near Barneville, in the arrondissement of Valognes. They lived there before the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. 1

Early Origins of the Carterett family

The surname Carterett was first found in Normandy, where this distinguished family held a family seat in the arrondisement of Valognes from ancient times.

The name is found early in Jersey. "Its seigneur took part in the Conquest of England, 1066. The Jersey family left the parent stock in the reign of Philip Augustus, and another descendant was created Lord Carteret in England." 2

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III listed Philip de Cartaret; John de Carteret; and Geoffrey de Carteret, Jersey as all living in Jersey at that time.

Some of the family were found on Sark (or Serk) a small island about 6 miles from Guernsey. "In 1565, Queen Elizabeth granted it in fee-farm, by letters-patent under the great seal, to Hilary de Carteret, Esq., by the twentieth part of a knight's fee." 3

Early History of the Carterett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carterett research. Another 304 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1035, 1066, 1096, 1129, 1155, 1159, 1272, 1307, 1584, 1596, 1599, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1617, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1650, 1663, 1665, 1670, 1672, 1673, 1679, 1680, 1690, 1693, 1715, 1725 and 1763 are included under the topic Early Carterett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carterett Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Carterett are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Carterett include Carteret, Cartrett, Carteraye, Cartaret and many more.

Early Notables of the Carterett family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Philip Carteret (1584-1643), the first Governor of Jersey (1665-1673.) "Collins in his 'History of the Family of Carteret' states that Sir George was born in 1599, but this seems to be merely an inference from the statement that he was about eighty at the time of his death. On the other hand his mother, Elizabeth Dumaresq, did not marry Helier de Carteret until 1608 (Payne, Armorial of Jersey, p. 113), and one of the complaints of the inhabitants of Jersey against Sir Philip de Carteret in 1642 charges him with entrusting the...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Carterett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carterett migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Carterett, or a variant listed above:

Carterett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Carterett, who settled in South Carolina in 1670
Richard Carterett, who settled in South Carolina in 1670
Hugh Carterett, who settled in South Carolina in 1670
Nicholas Carterett, who settled in South Carolina sometime between 1670 and 1700

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.