Cantrell first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Cantrell has been for the last 48 years (from 1974 to 2021) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Cantrell

Of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Welsh "cant" meaning "hundred".

Popularity of Cantrell by gender

Based on the last 48 years of data, Cantrell is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 88% of people named Cantrell being male.

For the most recent data in 2021, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Cantrell.

Year Male Count Female Count
2021 5 0
2020 6 0
2018 6 0
2015 8 0
2013 9 0
2012 5 0
2011 5 0
2009 9 0
2008 13 0
2007 10 0
2006 8 0
2005 7 0
2004 14 0
2003 9 0
2002 8 0
2001 8 0
2000 8 0
1999 7 0
1998 8 0
1997 8 0
1996 15 0
1995 11 0
1994 10 0
1993 12 0
1992 10 0
1991 14 0
1990 13 0
1989 10 5
1988 0 6
1987 9 0
1986 9 5
1985 8 0
1984 9 0
1983 9 5
1982 12 5
1981 6 0
1980 7 0
1979 18 0
1978 12 6
1977 8 7
1976 5 0
1975 10 8
1974 10 5

The history of the first name Cantrell

The name Cantrell is believed to have originated from the Old English language, specifically from the region of England that is now known as Kent. It is thought to have derived from the words "cant," meaning corner or edge, and "rel," meaning a ridge or hill. Therefore, the name Cantrell is believed to have initially referred to someone who lived on a ridge or hill near a corner or edge of land.

While the exact origins of the name are not certain, it is believed to have first emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th centuries in England. During this time, many place names and surnames emerged that were descriptive of the local geography or landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cantrell can be found in the Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is mentioned in reference to a landowner or tenant in the region of Kent.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Cantrell. One of the earliest was Sir John Cantrell, who lived in the 14th century and was a prominent landowner and military commander during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

In the 16th century, Thomas Cantrell was a notable English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and was involved in the translation of the King James Bible.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Puritan soldier named Thomas Cantrell gained fame for his military exploits and was later appointed as a member of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate government.

In the realm of literature, the name Cantrell is associated with the English poet and playwright John Cantrell, who lived in the late 17th century and wrote several popular plays and verse satires.

More recently, in the 20th century, the name Cantrell was borne by Robert Cantrell, an American mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and was a pioneer in the development of expert systems.

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 Cantrell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Cantrell first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 24, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/cantrell-meaning-and-history/.

"Cantrell first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/cantrell-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 24 May, 2025

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

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.