Find out how popular the last name Cant is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cant.

Cant, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cant in America

Cant is the 62531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cant surname appeared 320 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Cant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cant to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cant

The surname CANT has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cant," meaning a corner or an angle. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on a corner or at an angle in a village or town.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be related to the surname CANT, such as "Cantelow" and "Cantloc." These early variations highlight the potential connection between the name and geographical features or locations.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname CANT can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, where a person named William Cant is mentioned. This provides evidence of the surname's existence in England during the late 12th century.

Interestingly, the surname CANT has also been associated with the place name "Cantsfield" or "Cantsfelde," which appears in records from the 14th century. This place name may have influenced the spelling and usage of the surname in some cases.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname CANT:

1. John Cant (c. 1590-1663), a Scottish minister and theologian who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.
2. Andrew Cant (1590-1663), a Scottish minister and author, known for his work "A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans."
3. Walter Cant (c. 1600-1684), a Scottish minister and academic who served as the Principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews.
4. James Cant (1776-1858), a Scottish architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
5. Marie Cant (1855-1928), a Belgian painter and engraver known for her landscapes and portraits.

While the surname CANT has English origins, it has also been found in other countries, possibly due to migration or intermarriage. However, the core history and etymology of the name can be traced back to its English roots, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cant

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cant.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cant was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cant has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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