NameCensus.

UK surname

Cant

A geographical name denoting someone who lived near a cant or bend.

In the 1881 census there were 1,868 people recorded with the Cant surname, ranking it #2,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,083, ranked #3,105, down from #2,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Dunfermline and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, South Kesteven and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cant is 2,374 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.5%.

1881 census count

1,868

Ranked #2,333

Modern count

2,083

2016, ranked #3,105

Peak year

1998

2,374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cant had 1,868 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,083 in 2016, ranked #3,105.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,079 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cant surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cant surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cant surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cant over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,311 #2,186
1861 historical 1,331 #2,150
1881 historical 1,868 #2,333
1891 historical 1,986 #2,325
1901 historical 2,079 #2,579
1911 historical 1,760 #2,791
1997 modern 2,279 #2,723
1998 modern 2,374 #2,733
1999 modern 2,345 #2,778
2000 modern 2,305 #2,798
2001 modern 2,245 #2,812
2002 modern 2,262 #2,860
2003 modern 2,213 #2,849
2004 modern 2,235 #2,829
2005 modern 2,162 #2,875
2006 modern 2,141 #2,901
2007 modern 2,156 #2,904
2008 modern 2,169 #2,916
2009 modern 2,219 #2,928
2010 modern 2,259 #2,941
2011 modern 2,213 #2,959
2012 modern 2,087 #3,069
2013 modern 2,101 #3,106
2014 modern 2,125 #3,091
2015 modern 2,114 #3,076
2016 modern 2,083 #3,105

Geography

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Where Cants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Dunfermline, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, South Kesteven and Isle of Wight. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Dunfermline Fife
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 052 County Durham
2 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
3 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven
4 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
5 South Kesteven 001 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cant

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cant surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cant

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cant, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Cant surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cant household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cant is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cant is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cant falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cant is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cant, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cant

The surname CANT has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cant," meaning a corner or an angle. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on a corner or at an angle in a village or town.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the surname CANT, such as "Cantelow" and "Cantloc." These early variations highlight the potential connection between the name and geographical features or locations.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname CANT can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, where a person named William Cant is mentioned. This provides evidence of the surname's existence in England during the late 12th century.

Interestingly, the surname CANT has also been associated with the place name "Cantsfield" or "Cantsfelde," which appears in records from the 14th century. This place name may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname in some cases.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname CANT:

1. John Cant (c. 1590-1663), a Scottish minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation. 2. Andrew Cant (1590-1663), a Scottish minister and author, known for his work "A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans." 3. Walter Cant (c. 1600-1684), a Scottish minister and academic who served as the Principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews. 4. James Cant (1776-1858), a Scottish architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow. 5. Marie Cant (1855-1928), a Belgian painter and engraver known for her landscapes and portraits.

While the surname CANT has English origins, it has also been found in other countries, possibly due to migration or intermarriage. However, the core history and etymology of the name can be traced back to its English roots, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cant surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 308 Cants recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.61x.

County Total Index
Essex 308 8.61x
Angus 197 11.73x
Middlesex 138 0.76x
Suffolk 124 5.62x
Lincolnshire 108 3.73x
Fife 102 9.51x
Durham 93 1.72x
Surrey 74 0.84x
Midlothian 62 2.55x
Yorkshire 56 0.31x
Lanarkshire 49 0.84x
Lancashire 47 0.22x
Northumberland 47 1.74x
Morayshire 44 15.62x
Nottinghamshire 44 1.80x
Cumberland 42 2.69x
Leicestershire 32 1.59x
Warwickshire 21 0.46x
Hertfordshire 19 1.52x
Huntingdonshire 19 5.28x
Northamptonshire 18 1.06x
Rutland 15 11.27x
Gloucestershire 14 0.39x
Derbyshire 13 0.46x
Hampshire 13 0.35x
Clackmannanshire 12 8.02x
Kent 12 0.19x
Inverness-shire 11 2.03x
Aberdeenshire 10 0.60x
Roxburghshire 10 3.05x
Stirlingshire 8 1.20x
West Lothian 8 2.93x
Berwickshire 7 3.19x
Renfrewshire 7 0.50x
Ayrshire 6 0.44x
Banffshire 6 1.60x
Perthshire 6 0.74x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.44x
Staffordshire 5 0.08x
Worcestershire 5 0.21x
Kincardineshire 4 1.81x
Somerset 4 0.14x
Cheshire 3 0.08x
Kinross-shire 3 6.55x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 1.14x
Nairnshire 3 5.42x
Sussex 3 0.10x
Wiltshire 3 0.19x
Cornwall 2 0.10x
Devon 2 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.41x
Herefordshire 2 0.27x
Anglesey 1 0.31x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.25x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Peeblesshire 1 1.17x
Shropshire 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 64 Cants recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.21x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 64 10.21x
Dunfermline 30 18.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 30 3.07x
Ipswich St Margaret 30 40.05x
Great Cornard 29 581.16x
Medomsley 29 115.31x
Inverkeithing 24 148.42x
Kensington London 24 2.38x
Islington London 23 1.31x
Liff Benvie 23 9.02x
Glasgow 20 1.92x
Nottingham St Mary 20 3.17x
South Leith 20 7.32x
Forfar 19 20.90x
St Cuthbert W O 19 24.98x
Barony 18 1.21x
Brightlingsea 18 88.06x
West Bergholt 18 269.46x
Lambeth 17 1.08x
Aldham 15 563.91x
Forres 15 50.68x
Monifieth 15 25.29x
Newington 15 2.24x
Slaley 15 566.04x
Bocking 14 65.06x
Great Horkesley 14 283.98x
Lawford 14 268.71x
Wickhambrook 14 168.88x
Aston 13 1.03x
Mile End 13 198.78x
Sudbury St Gregory 13 73.49x
West Ham 13 1.65x
Mount Bures 12 697.67x
St Vigeans 12 13.24x
Uppingham 12 75.66x
Stanway 11 175.16x
Dovercourt 10 79.49x
Esh 10 25.48x
Grantham 10 26.48x
Liverpool 10 0.77x
Longbenton 10 8.76x
St Marylebone London 10 1.03x
St Pancras London 10 0.69x
Steeple 10 305.81x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 10 65.32x
Barkestone 9 481.28x
Barkstone 9 290.32x
Barry 9 44.67x
Bovingdon 9 137.40x
Colchester St Nicholas 9 279.50x
Guthrie 9 327.27x
Halstead 9 21.57x
Harlaxton 9 378.15x
Kirkcaldy 9 16.91x
Manningtree 9 154.64x
Rotherhithe 9 4.02x
Alva 8 25.09x
Auchterhouse 8 193.70x
Birmingham 8 0.53x
Duffus 8 32.23x
Great Gonerby 8 107.24x
Harringworth 8 353.98x
Insch 8 83.77x
Kirkdale 8 2.21x
Little Coggeshall 8 355.56x
Manthorpe Cum Little 8 36.12x
Paddington London 8 1.20x
Rafford 8 121.58x
St Swithin Lincoln 8 17.56x
Alverstoke 7 5.21x
Dunnichen 7 79.10x
Eccles 7 72.77x
Jesmond 7 18.45x
Kelso 7 21.40x
Mistley 7 72.84x
Panbride 7 80.00x
Saline 7 117.85x
Sculcoates 7 2.46x
Shipley 7 155.90x
South Ockendon 7 94.47x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cant surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cant surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 84
William 74
George 54
James 48
Thomas 33
Charles 31
Henry 23
Robert 20
Joseph 19
Alfred 17
Arthur 17
Harry 17
Edward 13
Samuel 13
Walter 11
Francis 9
Herbert 9
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Frank 6
Benjamin 5
Alexander 4
David 4
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Daniel 3
Leonard 3
Matthew 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Andrew 2
Benjamen 2
Edgar 2
Foster 2
Geo.William 2
Griffin 2
Jesse 2
Jonathan 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Eligah 1
Evans 1
Frances 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Cant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,868 people were recorded with the Cant surname. That placed it at #2,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,083 in 2016. That gives Cant a modern rank of #3,105.

What does the Cant surname mean?

A geographical name denoting someone who lived near a cant or bend.

What does the Cant map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cant bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.