UK surname

Cartwright

An occupational surname referring to a maker or repairer of carts or wagons.

In the 1881 census there were 11,386 people recorded with the Cartwright surname, ranking it #376 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,183, ranked #361, up from #376 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, London parishes and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Staffordshire, Wakefield and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cartwright is 17,732 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.9%.

1881 census count

11,386

Ranked #376

Modern count

17,183

2016, ranked #361

Peak year

2002

17,732 bearers

Map years

1851 to 2016

Key insights

• Cartwright had 11,386 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #376 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 17,183 in 2016, ranked #361.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16,286 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Map

Cartwright surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cartwright surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Cartwright 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	7,252	#388
1861	historical	7,443	#381
1881	historical	11,386	#376
1891	historical	12,006	#371
1901	historical	14,750	#359
1911	historical	16,286	#298
1997	modern	16,332	#368
1998	modern	17,516	#354
1999	modern	17,698	#352
2000	modern	17,662	#349
2001	modern	17,361	#348
2002	modern	17,732	#347
2003	modern	17,110	#353
2004	modern	17,040	#354
2005	modern	16,771	#352
2006	modern	16,807	#350
2007	modern	16,912	#349
2008	modern	16,988	#352
2009	modern	17,213	#356
2010	modern	17,603	#354
2011	modern	17,383	#355
2012	modern	17,182	#351
2013	modern	17,546	#353
2014	modern	17,564	#355
2015	modern	17,317	#358
2016	modern	17,183	#361

Geography

Where Cartwrights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, London parishes, Oldswinford and Kirkburton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Staffordshire, Wakefield and Dudley. 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	Dudley	Staffordshire
2	London parishes	London 3
3	Oldswinford	Worcestershire
4	Kirkburton	Yorkshire, West Riding
5	London parishes	London 2

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	South Staffordshire 013	South Staffordshire
2	Wakefield 042	Wakefield
3	Dudley 025	Dudley
4	Dudley 031	Dudley
5	Dudley 008	Dudley

Forenames

First names often paired with Cartwright

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

Historical female names

Mary Elizabeth Sarah Ann Annie Jane Eliza Alice Emma Hannah

Historical male names

John Thomas George James Joseph Charles Samuel Edward Arthur Henry

Recent female names

Sarah Susan Margaret Emma Nicola Mary Elizabeth Julie Helen Patricia

Recent male names

David John Paul Michael James Peter Andrew Richard Stephen Robert

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Cartwright

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cartwright, 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 Cartwright surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cartwright 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cartwright is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cartwright is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cartwright falls in decile 1 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cartwright is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Cartwright

The surname Cartwright is an English occupational name derived from the Old English words 'cræt' meaning cart, and 'wyrhta' meaning maker or builder. It originates from the medieval times, referring to a person who built or repaired carts and wagons.

The earliest recorded instance of the Cartwright surname dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a Richard le Cartwricht was mentioned in 1197. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a Robert le Cartwright was listed in Cambridgeshire.

The name is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a census commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, there are several references to individuals with the title 'Cartuarius' or 'Carectarius', which were Latin forms of the word Cartwright.

During the Middle Ages, the Cartwright surname was particularly common in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where there was a strong tradition of cart and wagon-making. The surname also appeared in various medieval records such as the Pipe Rolls, the Feet of Fines, and the Hearth Tax Returns.

One notable Cartwright from history was Thomas Cartwright (1535-1603), an English Puritan theologian and leader of the Presbyterian movement. He was a prominent figure in the Elizabethan era and was involved in the Vestiarian Controversy, which was a debate over the use of clerical vestments in the Church of England.

Another famous Cartwright was William Cartwright (1611-1643), an English dramatist and poet who was considered one of the most prominent writers of the Cavalier period. He was a contemporary of John Milton and was known for his plays such as "The Royal Slave" and "The Lady Errant."

In the 18th century, Edmund Cartwright (1743-1823) was an English inventor and clergyman who is best known for inventing the power loom in 1785. His invention revolutionized the textile industry and contributed to the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

The Cartwright surname also has connections to various place names in England, such as Cartworth in West Yorkshire, Carterknowle in Sheffield, and Carterton in Oxfordshire. These place names likely derived from the Cartwright surname, reflecting the presence of Cartwrights in those areas.

Another notable Cartwright was John Cartwright (1740-1824), an English naval officer and political reformer who advocated for parliamentary reform and universal suffrage. He played a significant role in the Radical Movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cartwright surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cartwright surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,386 people were recorded with the Cartwright surname. That placed it at #376 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cartwright surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,183 in 2016. That gives Cartwright a modern rank of #361.

What does the Cartwright surname mean?