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Cantrell Family History

Cantrell Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from Old French canterelle chanterelle a diminutive of c(h)anteor ‘singer’. Compare Cantor. It was used as an alternative name for Chantecler the cock in medieval French versions of the folk story of Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renard).

English: sometimes a variant of Quintrell. English: occasionally perhaps a habitational name from Cantrell in Devon early recorded as Canterhulle named from an unexplained first element + Old English hyll ‘hill’.

Altered form of French Cantrelle.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Cantrell family from?

You can see how Cantrell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Cantrell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Cantrell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 108 Cantrell families living in Derbyshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Cantrell's in United Kingdom. Derbyshire had the highest population of Cantrell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Cantrell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Cantrell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Farmer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Cantrell. 37% of Cantrell men worked as a Farmer and 78% of Cantrell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Cantrell were Master Butcher Retired and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Cantrell | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Farmer
    37%
  • Dairy Farmer
    28%
  • General Labourer
    19%
  • Master Butcher Retired
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    7%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%

What Cantrell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 83,000 census records available for the last name Cantrell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Cantrell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Cantrell

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Cantrell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Cantrell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 23,000 military records available for the last name Cantrell. For the veterans among your Cantrell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Cantrell family history

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What is the average Cantrell lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Cantrell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Cantrell in 1940 was 54, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Cantrell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Cantrell ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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