For the person who asked for the origin of the name Cantrell, this was copied
from the website of SUSAN CANTRILL CHRISTIE.
Lynda Veal
History
Origin & Spelling of the Name
The name of Cantrill wherever found can be traced to the original family of
Chantrell, or Cantrelle, in France.
In "Armorial Generale," by J. B. Rietstap, the name is given as Chantrell,
Cantrelle and Canteral; in "La Grande Encyclopedia," as Chantrell and
Canteral; in "La France Heraldique," as Chantrell (de) and Chantre (le), while
in "Nobilisse Universale," by M. L. Vicomte Magny, it is given as Cantrel.
In "British Family Names," by Henry Barber, the following appears:
"Cantrell
(French), Cantrel, Chantrell. The first of the name in England was William
Chantrell, time of King John, A.D. 1199."
Mark Antony Lower gives the definition thus: "Cantrill, Cantrell, from
Cantrellus, the little singer."
Charles Waring Bardsley, in his "Dictionary of Surnames," says: "Cantrell,
Cantrill, one who rang the Chantrelle. Chantrelle, a small bell. Chanter, to
sing."
The name is spelled in various ways, viz: Cantrill, Cantrell, Cantrall,
Cantrelle, Cantril, Cantrel, Cantral, Chantrell and Chauntrell. The spelling
has always been one of personal taste, even brothers have spelled it
differently.
In this book the name is spelled as found in Capt. John Smith's Works, or as
it is spelled by the different branches of the family.
The earliest records of the family are French. The first mention of the name
outside of France is WIlliam Chantrell, who retained the French Spelling of
the name, in England in time of King John.
The Family in England
From the Twelfth to the Fifteenth century the name appears on English
records
from time to time, and after that time appears many times in England and
Ireland, as well as in France, usually spelled Chantrell, Cantrill or
Cantrell.
William Chantrell, temp King John, was probably the first of the name in
England.
In the "History of Melbourne, County Derby," second edition, (no date), page
175, by J.J. Briggs, the author says:
"The Cantrells were a very ancient family and are supposed to have been
located at Kings Newton about five hundred years. By deeds still extant in the
family, we find that they possessed lands there as the reign of Henry V, about
1413. Other deeds and surveys also show that they were considerable landed
proprietors during the reins of Henry V, Henry VI, Edward V, Edward VI and
Henry VII."
From the "History of Cheshire," by ormeod, we learn that the
Chantrells were
possessed of the lands in Cheshire as early as 1412, and in this
History the
pedigree is given of John Cantrell, 1412 (taken from the "Plea Recog Rolls")
with the same coat-of-arms that is given later in the "Visitation of
Cheshire," 1580, of Chantrell of Bache; "Visitation of Suffolk," 1612, of
Cantrell of Bury St. Edmunds and "Visitation of Berkshire," 1664, of Cantrill
of Workingham. (More to come...)
Cantrill-Cantrell-Cantrall Genealogy
(FYI: 11/17/97 The machine that this page has been up and down the last week
or so. Web searches may not match if the web page has been updated since the
web index was last here.)
I started this page while researching my the family name(s), and found many
others who have a similar interest and family tree. If anyone has genealogical
information on the names Cantrall, Cantral, Cantrell, Cantrel, Cantrill,
Cantril, Cantrelle, and Chantrell (various spelling of the name), we would
appreciate it and will make it available to others.
Genealogy Database Web Pages
I have used Gene Stark's Ged2Html program to convert GEDCOM's to HTML (really
it was easy!). Remember to pay your shareware fee so great shareware like this
can continue.
The surname list is useful if you want to find a particular last name. Index
of persons is a guide to the longer indexes of all names. Sources will show
all the references included in the database, whether they're referenced in the
individual files or not.
Corrections or additions to the database information would be appreciated
PREFACE
FOR many years I has e had a strong desire to know more about the Cantrill
family, but not until 1897 was sufficient data obtained to furnish a reliable
basis for this work. It is published now with a full knowledge of the many
imperfections that will be manifest to many who read it. Many difficulties
have attended the collection and compilation of the material and at times the
work has been most discouraging.
If some branches of the family hare been treated briefly, it is only owing to
the lack of information and meager data furnished by the descendants
It is with a deep realization of how impossible it is to make any History, or
Genealogy, of a family entirely perfect, that I now publish the result of more
than ten years' research. It is probable that it could be made more complete
by waiting and working longer, but many of those who hare been interested in
the collection of the material have already passed away, others are growing
old, and the writer is anxious to put into permanent shape the information
collected, which has never been printed regarding the Cantrill family before.
The Cantrill family is one of the oldest families in America.
In the course of this work innumerable histories, genealogies and records have
been carefully searched in the Astor and Lenox Libraries, New York Historical
Society, New York Genealogical Society and Court Records, New York; Brooklyn
and Pratt Libraries, Brooklyn; Boston Library, Historical Societal and Court
Records, Boston; Friends' Library, Pennsylvania Historical Society, Records of
old Philadelphia churches and Court Records, Philadelphia; Pennsylvania State
Library, Harrisburg; Court Records, Westchester, Pa.; Illinois State Library,
Springfield; Congressional Library and Census Department. Washington: and
Court Records in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. A thorough search has also been made in
London, England, of Court Records and emigrant lists of the seventeenth
century by a reliable English genealogist. I am also indebted to Rev. Edgar
Harlan Kellar and Mrs. Francis Hardin Hess for searching records at the
British Museum, London.
In finishing this self-imposed task, which has also given me many hours of
pleasure and profit, I wish particularly to express my appreciation of the
encouragement and material help that has been given me by Mrs. William A.
Cantrell, Little Rock. Ark.: Mrs. James E. Cantrill. Georgetown, Ky.; Miss
Mary Cantrell, McMinneville, Tenn.; Mrs. Laura Cantrell Kinser, Tellico
Junction, Tenn.; Mr. John H. Cantrell. Chattanooga, Tenn.; Mrs. W. W.
Whiteside, Oxford, Ala., and to many others. Finally, in presenting these
facts regarding the history and genealogy of the Cantrill family which I have
been able to collect, I do so in the hope that they will be an inspiration to
every member of the family to continued patriotism to our country, and pride
in our family
SUSAN CANTRILL CHRISTIE
231 Madison Street
Brooklyn, New York
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The Coat-Of-Arms
There is a great diversity of opinion among authorities as to the time that
coat-of-arms became hereditary. The majority give the twelfth century, though
a few give a still earlier date.
In 1482, Richard III incorporated the Heralds' College, or College or Arms. On
the establishment of the Heralds' College periodical visitations of the
different counties were directed to take cognizance of the Arms, Pedigrees and
Marriages of the Nobility and Gentry of England. In the Heralds' Visitations
of the counties of Cheshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Berkshire and Derbyshire,
pedigrees are given of Chantrells, Cantrells and Cantrills as belonging to the
gentry, and all bearing the same coat of armor.
The ancient Cantrell coat-of-arms was:
Argent, A Pelican in her piety, Sable.
Crest A Tower, Argent.
The Pelican was one of the first emblems used in Heraldry; its simplicity
would indicate that it is very ancient. One of the earliest works published in
Heraldry says:
"The Pelican was by Egyptians made the hieroglyphic of maternal affection, for
she, when her young ones had been bitten by serpents, that secretly invade
their nest, launces her bosom and with the purple balsom that streams from the
opened sluice not only expels the infused venom, but likewise cements and
cures the wounds inflicted by the noxious adversaries."
Another old history gives the following:
"Pelican. The Egyptian priests used the Pelican for a hieroglyphic to express
the four duties of a father toward his children, whereof the first is
generation; second is the office of Education; third of Training up; and the
fourth and last, the Duty of Informing his children with the Example of his
Virtuous and Honest Life."
"Webster's International Dictionary" says:
"A Pelican in her Piety (in heraldry and symbolic art), a representation of a
Pelican in the act of prodding her breast, in order to nourish her young with
blood, a practice fabulously attributed to the bird on account of which it was
adopted as a symbol of the Redeemer and of Charity."
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The Family in Ireland
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In America
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Cantrills in America in the Seventeenth Century
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(More to come...)
Return to the Cantrall-Cantrell-Cantrill Genealogy Page .
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Bruce Cantrall
Last updated: 19960505