Carter Surname

Meaning and origin of the surname Carter

Occupational surname derived from Anglo-Norman French carter and Middle English cart, denoting an artisan who made or drove horse-drawn two-wheeled transport carts.

Historically and linguistically, Carter belongs to the English, French and Celtic family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "KAR-tər".

United States Census frequency and ranking

In the official 2010 United States Census, Carter was recorded 376,966 times, ranking as the 49th most common surname in the nation.

This represents an incidence rate of approximately 127.79 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 783 residents.

Race and ethnicity distribution

According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Carterreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:

Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.

History of the surname Carter

Carter is an occupational surname derived from Anglo-Norman French carter (from Old French charetier, derived from Late Latin carrum, of Celtic origin). In medieval transportation networks, a carter was responsible for driving, maintaining, or operating two-wheeled carts used to haul agricultural goods, grain, firewood, stone, and wool between manorial farms, mills, and market towns.

Because wheeled transport was vital to the commercial growth of thirteenth-century England, the surname emerged independently in every major market center. Early citations in the Hundred Rolls of 1273 include Joffridus le Carter in Cambridgeshire and John le Cartere in Norfolk. In Ireland, the name was also used to Anglicize Gaelic Mac Artúir or Mac Cárthaigh in certain families.

The surname established an illustrious presence in colonial America, notably through the wealthy and influential 'King' Carter family of Virginia. It reached the highest executive office with Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States and Nobel Peace laureate. In the 2010 US Census, Carter ranked 49th nationwide with 376,966 recorded bearers (127.79 per 100,000 Americans).

Notable people with the surname Carter

• Jimmy Carter (1924–), 39th U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
• Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950), American historian, author, and founder of Black History Month
• Vince Carter (1977–), American NBA basketball Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist
• Carter Burwell (1954–), American film composer known for collaborations with the Coen brothers