Ganter Family History

South German: occupational name for an official in charge of the legal auction of property confiscated in default of a fine; such a sale was known in Middle High German as a gant (from Italian incanto, a derivative of Late Latin inquantare ‘to auction’ from the phrase In quantum? ‘To how much (is the price raised)?’).

German: metonymic occupational name for a cooper from Middle High German ganter kanter ‘barrel rack’. German: variant of Gander. This surname (in any of the possible senses; see also above) is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).

English and French: occupational name for a maker or seller of gloves from Middle English ga(u)nter, Old French gantier.

Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Gantar: occupational name from a dialect variant of gontar ‘shingler’. Alternatively, perhaps a nickname or metonymic occupational name from gantar ‘wooden pedestal for barrels in the cellar’.