Surname Cart - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cart: What does the surname Cart mean?
The last name Cart is of French origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is a habitational name derived from either La Carte, a place in Alsace, or La Carte, in Calvados, which were both named after the Latin word carta, meaning paper or document. The earliest known recorded variation of this name is de Carte, which appears in a 12th century document from Alsace.
The spelling of the surname has changed over the centuries, and various iterations include Carte, de la Carte, Cart, Carton, Lecarten, Cartais, Cartan, Cartain, Cartel, Carteau, Cartellier, and others.
The name Cart is most commonly associated with horses, since it has been used as a last name for people who dealt with horses in some capacity—as a jockey, cart driver, or simply someone who owned and kept horses. This is a testament to the deep appreciation and reverence French people have had for horses since the Middle Ages.
Outside of the horse-related associations, the name Cart is also derived from the old French word "Carte," which is the root of the word card or chart. Thus, it could also refer to someone who worked with maps, compasses, or other navigational tools.
To summarize, the last name Cart has a long and rich history. The original meaning was derived from the word "carta," meaning paper or document. Over time, the surname was associated with horses and cart drivers, as well as map makers.
Order DNA origin analysisCart: Where does the name Cart come from?
The last name Cart is most common today in French-speaking countries. It is an old French family name most likely originating from a place name, possibly referring to an area known as "le cart." As of the 2018 census, it is most common in France, with nearly 1,500 people bearing the name residing there. It is also seen in Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec. The name is seen around the world, wherever French-speaking people have migrated, such as the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and many parts of Africa, especially in Senegal. It is likely an occupational name, derived from a cart driver or from someone who made carts. Today, people bearing the name tend to have occupations in service or the labor fields, such as teachers, truck drivers, and police officers. Many famous people today bear the name, including several French politicians and artists. It is still a common surname around the world and holds a special place in the hearts of the families who bear it.
Variations of the surname Cart
The surname Cart is an alternate spelling of the surname Chart. Variants of this surname include Charts, Chartes, Cartes, Chartsman, Chartman, Charton, Chartier, Cartman, Carton, and Cartier.
Cart is believed to originate in England, specifically in East Anglia, or from Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands. The earliest recorded use of the surname is found from 13th and 14th century England in a number of documents such as the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk of 1275-76.
The various spellings and variants of the surname indicate that at least some members of the family migrated to different parts of the world or married into families with different spellings and thus adopted the new version of the name.
The typical Anglo-Saxon variants Planchart (French) Chartreux (French), Karts (German), Chartrand (French) and Chartroux (French) are all derived from its original spelling.
The name Cart may have its origins in a medieval nickname. “Chart” was an old Saxon word for a “strong man,” and its application in surnames would have been used to refer to someone known for physical strength or valor. Alternatively, "Carte" is an old word for a “scholar” or “map maker” and could have been used to refer to someone with high learning abilities or knowledge.
In addition to its many spellings and variants, Cart is a popular surname with various spelling combinations across the world, with thousands of recorded users in America, England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Cart
- Courteney Cox: American actress, producer, and director
- Florence Carteighe: British artist
- Max Cartwright: Australian actor 4.Margaret Cartland: British writer, philanthropist and socialite 5.Ashley Carty: British professional snooker player 6.Birgit Cunningham: American academic administrator and professor 7.Dennis Cartwright: British cricketer 8.Leonard Cart: Belizean musician 9.Judith Cartwright: Canadian actress
- Anthony Carte: British actor