UK surname
A trade name for a maker or builder of horse-drawn carts.
In the 1881 census there were 177 people recorded with the Cartright surname, ranking it #13,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21, ranked #36,596, down from #13,889 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Dunton with Millo. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cartright is 362 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 88.1%.
1881 census count
177
Ranked #13,889
Modern count
21
2016, ranked #36,596
Peak year
1891
362 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cartright surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cartright surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 224 | #9,534 |
| 1861 | historical | 280 | #8,953 |
| 1881 | historical | 177 | #13,889 |
| 1891 | historical | 362 | #9,569 |
| 1901 | historical | 194 | #15,425 |
| 1911 | historical | 134 | #19,131 |
| 1997 | modern | 20 | #35,809 |
| 1998 | modern | 23 | #35,603 |
| 1999 | modern | 19 | #36,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 18 | #36,104 |
| 2001 | modern | 20 | #35,754 |
| 2002 | modern | 25 | #35,428 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 18 | #36,245 |
| 2005 | modern | 19 | #36,247 |
| 2006 | modern | 22 | #36,105 |
| 2007 | modern | 22 | #36,213 |
| 2008 | modern | 22 | #36,281 |
| 2009 | modern | 27 | #36,045 |
| 2010 | modern | 26 | #36,220 |
| 2011 | modern | 23 | #36,369 |
| 2012 | modern | 25 | #36,227 |
| 2013 | modern | 23 | #36,414 |
| 2014 | modern | 22 | #36,496 |
| 2015 | modern | 23 | #36,424 |
| 2016 | modern | 21 | #36,596 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Dunton with Millo, Wigan and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sedgley | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Tipton otherwise Tibington | Staffordshire |
| 3 | Dunton with Millo | Bedfordshire |
| 4 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cartright surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cartright, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Cartright surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cartright household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Cartright is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cartright is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cartright, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Cartright is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cræt" meaning cart or chariot, and "riht" meaning wright or maker. Thus, the name Cartright originally referred to a skilled craftsman who built and repaired carts or wagons.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, which mentions a Richard Cartewright. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also list a John Carteright.
The name Cartright was particularly prevalent in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Shropshire in the West Midlands region of England. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name may have been based in these areas, where the trade of cart-making was likely in high demand.
In the late 16th century, the name Cartright appeared in the records of the Stratford-upon-Avon parish, which was the birthplace of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616). One of Shakespeare's contemporaries was a certain Thomas Cartright, who was a prominent citizen of the town.
Another notable figure in history with the surname Cartright was Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603), an English Puritan leader and theologian who played a significant role in the Elizabethan religious settlement. He was a prominent critic of the Church of England and advocated for further reforms within the church.
In the 18th century, Edmund Cartwright (1743-1823) was an English inventor and clergyman who is credited with inventing the power loom, a crucial development in the Industrial Revolution. His invention revolutionized the weaving industry and paved the way for mass production of textiles.
During the 19th century, Major John Cartright (1759-1824) was a British naval officer and politician who campaigned for parliamentary reform and was a leading figure in the Radical movement. He was a vocal advocate for universal suffrage and the abolition of slavery.
Another notable figure with the surname Cartright was Sir Fairfax Cartright (1857-1928), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Western Australia from 1919 to 1924.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cartright surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 61 Cartrights recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.41x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 61 | 10.41x |
| Yorkshire | 16 | 0.93x |
| Lancashire | 15 | 0.73x |
| Lincolnshire | 12 | 4.32x |
| Buckinghamshire | 9 | 8.57x |
| Warwickshire | 9 | 2.06x |
| Leicestershire | 7 | 3.64x |
| Derbyshire | 6 | 2.21x |
| Bedfordshire | 5 | 5.56x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 0.29x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 1.94x |
| Worcestershire | 5 | 2.21x |
| Cambridgeshire | 3 | 2.73x |
| Kent | 3 | 0.51x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.02x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 0.52x |
| Royal Navy | 2 | 9.67x |
| Somerset | 2 | 0.72x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.24x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.77x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.29x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.28x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 1.40x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 0.61x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 0.67x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 23 Cartrights recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.55x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cartright surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 12 |
| Sarah | 7 |
| Elizabeth | 6 |
| Ann | 5 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Jane | 3 |
| Margaret | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Gertrude | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Harriet | 2 |
| May | 2 |
| Sophia | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Angelina | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Bertha | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Constance | 1 |
| Eadey | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Ema | 1 |
| Emmaline | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Henrietta | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lorah | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| M. | 1 |
| Mahalath | 1 |
| Maltida | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Racheal | 1 |
| Rosannah | 1 |
| Selena | 1 |
| Thursa | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cartright surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Cartright households.
FAQ
In 1881, 177 people were recorded with the Cartright surname. That placed it at #13,889 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 21 in 2016. That gives Cartright a modern rank of #36,596.
A trade name for a maker or builder of horse-drawn carts.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cartright bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.