Surname Cardigan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cardigan: What does the surname Cardigan mean?
The last name Cardigan is thought to be of Welsh origin and is found in records from the early 13th century in Wales. The name is derived from "Caerdydd" which means "Fort of Augustus", a Roman settlement founded in A.D. 79 by the emperor Vespasian. It is believed that the fort was named after Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Augustus' right-hand man.
Over time, the fort's name evolved into the surname "Cardigan." The people with the surname Cardigan likely trace their roots back to those who lived either near the fort or left the fort to move elsewhere. In modern times, the surname is mainly associated with Wales, but is also found in other countries, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States.
The Cardigan surname also has a coat of arms featuring three greyhounds running in a circular pattern and three red roses with a silver tower in the center. This design signifies strength, speed, fidelity, and courage.
Cardigans often share a close-knit family atmosphere and generally take interest in the well-being of their community. Family members may share a fondness for music, crafting, and writing and they typically value traditions that have been passed down for generations.
Order DNA origin analysisCardigan: Where does the name Cardigan come from?
The last name Cardigan is most common among Welsh and Scottish people. It is believed that the name originated in Cardiganshire, a county in Wales. The name has been around since the Middle Ages and is still commonly used today in both Wales and Scotland.
Cardigan is a popular surname in several English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. Records show that it was one of the most popular surnames in America in the late 1800s. Today, it is the 403rd most common surname in the United States. It is also the most common surname in the US that originates from Wales.
In Scotland, Cardigan is the 136th most common last name. According to the Scottish census of 2001, over 4,700 people had the Cardigan surname. Over three-quarters of the population bearing this name live in Scotland. It is also a very popular name among the Welsh people, ranking as the 119th most common surname.
Cardigan is also used as an Irish surname and is believed to have been derived from the Gaelic "McCardghain", which means "son of Cardaghain". In Ireland, Cardigan is very rare, with only 1,279 people bearing this surname in the 1901 census.
Overall, the last name Cardigan is still quite popular and is found throughout the English-speaking world. It is most commonly found among the Welsh and Scottish people, but is also found in small numbers among the Irish, Canadians, Australians, and Americans.
Variations of the surname Cardigan
The surname Cardigan has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Cardegon, Cardegar, Cardegen, Cardiganne, Cardegayne, Cardegane, Cardegane, Cardegaine, Cardeganne, Cardegaunne, Cardegayne, Cardgen, Cargan, Cargen, Cargane, Cargen, Cargon, Cargun, Cardagan, Cardigen, Cardigenne, Cardgeon, Cardegund, and Cardiganeth.
The spelling variations of Cardigan are mostly due to a lack of standardised spelling and pronunciation conventions of the time, as well as the influence of various dialects of the Celtic languages. It further developed due to a series of phonetic characteristics, such as regional dialects and the use of slang, contributing to changes in linguistic and phonetic features. This allowed for much greater variation in pronunciations and spellings of surnames across borders and eras.
Cardigan is a predominantly Irish surname, derived from the Irish Gaelic name Mac Ardghain. It is believed to have originated from a powerful Irish clan leader, known as the Ardghain – who was a descendant of the O’Neills, a powerful noble household in medieval Ireland. The name is also claimed to be related to the descendants of a ninth-century Welsh prince, known as Ceredig ap Cunedda, and was adapted after several Norman migrations. Following this, the surname spread to Scotland, and eventually to England, where it has been in continual use for more than 500 years.
Overall, this surname has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, all of which are derived from the same Celtic roots. Together, they exemplify the diverse history and development of the surname in both Britain and Ireland.
Famous people with the name Cardigan
- Prince Charles of Wales. He was granted a peerage in 1958 in the form of a dukedom by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, taking the title of Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. The title included estates in Carmarthenshire, Wales, including the castle Cardigan.
- John Cardigan, a soldier and war hero who served in the British 5th Dragoon Guards during the Crimean War. He is most famous for leading the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade.
- Lucie Cardigan, a British painter and sculptor known for her abstract expressionism.
- William Cardigan, a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in Zanzibar from 1900 to 1906.
- Herbert Cardigan, an English horticulturalist and hothouse grower who stands for strict attention to detail in the garden and noted for introducing exotic species and plants to Britain.
- Armistead King Cardigan, a lawyer from Philadelphia who served as president of the board of directors for the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.
- Cardigan Thomas, an English writer, search engine optimization specialist, and book consultant who is best known for his book Reclaiming Your Online Identity.
- Anthony Cardigan, an English actor who first gained attention for his role in the 1991 drama The Man Who Cried.
- Glen Cardigan, an Australian actor who is best known for his roles in the television series Home and Away and Out of the Blue.
- Robert Cardigan, an Australian football player who represented the Collingwood Football Club in the VFL/AFL throughout the 1950s and 1960s.