Carters History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England-Alt
England
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Carters

What does the name Carters mean?

The history of the Carters family begins with those Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain from whom the name springs. The surname Carters is thought to be derived from the Old English "craet," or the Old Norse "kartr," both meaning "cart," and was most likely first borne either by someone who built carts or by a transporter of goods. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Old English "carda" or "carterius" meaning "guard."

Early Origins of the Carters family

The surname Carters 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. 1

The name is "well distributed over England. It is best represented in Cheshire and Essex, and afterwards in Cambridgeshire, Devon, and Sussex." 2

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." 3

Early History of the Carters family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carters research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1250 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Carters History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carters Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carter, Carters and others.

Early Notables of the Carters family

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

Migration of the Carters family to Ireland

Some of the Carters family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 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 Carters family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Ambrose Carter, who settled in Virginia in 1663; Thomas Carter and his wife Frances, who came to Philadelphia in 1685 with their children Thomas, Henry, Ann, and John, Chris Carter, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland in 1705.

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)