Cadillac first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Cadillac has been for the last 1 years (from 2010 to 2010) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Cadillac

A French masculine name derived from a title of land ownership.

Popularity of Cadillac by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Cadillac is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2010, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Cadillac.

Year Male Count Female Count
2010 6 0

The history of the first name Cadillac

The name Cadillac has its origins in the French language, originating in the southwestern region of France known as Gascony. The name is derived from the Gascon word "cadilh," which means a small battle or skirmish, and "aq," which is a local suffix. Together, these elements form the name Cadillac, which can be translated as "place of the small battle."

Historically, the name Cadillac can be traced back to the early 17th century, when it first appeared as a place name in the Gironde region of France. The earliest recorded use of the name Cadillac as a given name dates back to the late 17th century, when it was bestowed upon Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French explorer and colonist who founded the city of Detroit in 1701.

While the name Cadillac is not commonly found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous individuals to bear this name was Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (1658-1730), the aforementioned founder of Detroit, who was also a military officer and explorer in the service of the French Crown.

Another notable Cadillac was François Cadillac (1695-1776), a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer who played a significant role in the early settlement of the American West. In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with the rise of the Cadillac Automobile Company, founded by Henry Leland in 1902 and named after the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.

Other historical figures with the name Cadillac include Jean-Baptiste Cadillac (1692-1757), a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer, and Hippolyte Cadillac (1842-1912), a French architect and designer who was instrumental in the development of Art Nouveau architecture in France.

While the name Cadillac is relatively uncommon today, it has left an indelible mark on history, particularly in the realms of exploration, colonization, and automotive manufacturing. The name's origins in the Gascon language and its association with notable historical figures have contributed to its enduring legacy and cultural significance.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Cadillac was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cadillac, please contact us.

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"Cadillac first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/cadillac-meaning-and-history/.

"Cadillac first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/cadillac-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 May, 2025

Cadillac first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/cadillac-meaning-and-history/.

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