NameCensus.

UK surname

Cartner

A possible English habitational surname derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 266 people recorded with the Cartner surname, ranking it #10,589 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 360, ranked #12,867, down from #10,589 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Rockcliff and Egremont. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Langholm and Eskdale, Mauchline and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cartner is 386 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.3%.

1881 census count

266

Ranked #10,589

Modern count

360

2016, ranked #12,867

Peak year

2010

386 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cartner had 266 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,589 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016, ranked #12,867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 335 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cartner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cartner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cartner 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 266 #10,589
1891 historical 300 #11,119
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 308 #11,230
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 343 #12,707
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 351 #12,534
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 352 #12,557
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 343 #12,616
2005 modern 345 #12,496
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 355 #12,458
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 386 #12,330
2011 modern 385 #12,195
2012 modern 353 #12,877
2013 modern 360 #12,890
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 356 #13,009
2016 modern 360 #12,867

Geography

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Where Cartners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, Rockcliff, Egremont, St Mary Within and Holme Cultram. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Langholm and Eskdale, Mauchline, Allerdale and Carlisle. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 Rockcliff Cumberland
3 Egremont Cumberland
4 St Mary Within Cumberland
5 Holme Cultram Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Langholm and Eskdale Dumfries and Galloway
2 Mauchline East Ayrshire
3 Allerdale 010 Allerdale
4 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
5 Carlisle 007 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cartner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cartner

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cartner, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cartner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cartner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cartner 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

Cartner 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

Cartner falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cartner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cartner

The surname Cartner has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, originating in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "caert" meaning cart, and "nere" meaning man or worker, translating to "cartman" or one who drove or operated carts and wagons.

One of the earliest records of the name Cartner can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a Richard Cartner is mentioned as a resident of the village of Keighley. The surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, where a John Cartner is listed as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the Cartner family established themselves as landowners and farmers in the Yorkshire Dales region. The Cartner name is closely associated with the village of Carterhaugh, near the town of Sedbergh, which likely took its name from a Cartner family member who owned or worked the land in that area.

During the 16th century, the Cartner surname spread across northern England, with records showing families residing in places like Kendal, Kirkby Lonsdale, and Penrith. One notable Cartner during this time was William Cartner (1520-1595), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Barnard Castle, County Durham.

The 17th century saw the Cartner name appearing in parish records across Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland. Notable individuals include Robert Cartner (1621-1689), a prominent farmer and land steward in the village of Dent, and Elizabeth Cartner (1645-1712), who is recorded as one of the first female Quaker preachers in the region.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Cartner surname continued to be found predominantly in northern England, with some families migrating to Scotland and Ireland. John Cartner (1768-1842) was a respected banker and philanthropist in the city of York, while James Cartner (1810-1876) was a renowned engineer and inventor from Leeds who held several patents for improvements to steam engines and textile machinery.

Throughout its history, the Cartner surname has been associated with occupations related to transportation, farming, and skilled trades, reflecting its origins as a name for those who worked with carts and wagons. While not a widespread surname, it has maintained a presence in northern England for over 800 years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cartner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cartner 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. Cumberland leads with 134 Cartners recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.98x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 134 59.98x
Lancashire 52 1.69x
Northumberland 16 4.14x
Dumfriesshire 15 26.17x
Durham 14 1.81x
Yorkshire 10 0.39x
Lanarkshire 9 1.07x
Middlesex 8 0.31x
Surrey 5 0.40x
Essex 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.24x
Somerset 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Egremont in Cumberland leads with 23 Cartners recorded in 1881 and an index of 431.52x.

Place Total Index
Egremont 23 431.52x
Kirkdale 13 25.10x
Gretna 12 1111.11x
Oldham 11 11.07x
Low Holme 10 793.65x
Orton 10 2500.00x
Rickergate 10 211.42x
Salford 9 9.94x
Everton 8 8.15x
Hulme 8 12.45x
Rockcliff 8 1159.42x
St Cuthbert W O 8 73.46x
Arthuret 7 300.43x
Caldewgate 7 57.19x
Chester Le Street 7 118.04x
Glasgow 7 4.70x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 30.36x
Pontefract 7 126.35x
St Cuthbert Within 7 270.27x
Cummersdale 6 789.47x
Elswick 6 19.47x
Flimby 6 317.46x
Camberwell 5 3.02x
Darlington 4 13.42x
Kirkandrews On Esk 4 526.32x
Workington 4 31.27x
Eskdalemuir 3 612.24x
Great Bolton 3 7.36x
Kirkbampton 3 810.81x
Barony 2 0.94x
Beverley St Mary 2 53.19x
Coundon 2 63.90x
Hayton Mealo 2 769.23x
Hesket In Forest 2 114.94x
Islington London 2 0.80x
Kensington London 2 1.39x
Thursby 2 425.53x
Westgate 2 8.36x
Wigton 2 59.70x
Aikton 1 142.86x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 10.71x
Ashwick 1 147.06x
Askerton 1 344.83x
Barking 1 6.67x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.51x
Bowness 1 116.28x
Brampton 1 32.68x
Burgh By Sands 1 138.89x
Clee With Weelsby 1 11.01x
Hackney London 1 0.69x
Heddon On Wall 1 212.77x
Hethersgill 1 188.68x
Holme Abbey 1 120.48x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.81x
Preston Quarter 1 15.97x
Skelton 1 156.25x
Solport 1 454.55x
St Clement Danes London 1 18.62x
St Pancras London 1 0.48x
Stanwix 1 55.25x
Stapleton 1 303.03x
Wetheral 1 33.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Margaret 14
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 9
Isabella 7
Jane 7
Ann 6
Agnes 3
Annie 3
Margret 3
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Lydia 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amie 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Dora 1
E.E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Ellenor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
H. 1
Hannah 1
Jaane 1
Janet 1
Jemina 1
Jessie 1
Joahann 1
Lilly 1
Martha 1
Onner 1
Polly 1
Robert 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 18
Joseph 14
William 14
George 9
James 7
Edward 5
Robert 5
Albert 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Jas. 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
A.D. 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Isaiah 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wilson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cartner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cartner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 266 people were recorded with the Cartner surname. That placed it at #10,589 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cartner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016. That gives Cartner a modern rank of #12,867.

What does the Cartner surname mean?

A possible English habitational surname derived from a place name.

What does the Cartner map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cartner 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.