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

Canteen, 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 Canteen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canteen in America

Canteen is the 58337th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canteen surname appeared 348 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 Canteen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canteen 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 Canteen

The surname Canteen is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "canten," which referred to a wooden vessel or container used for holding liquids. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to those who were involved in the manufacturing or selling of such containers.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are records of individuals with the name "Cantun" or "Cantune," which are considered early variations of the modern spelling "Canteen." These entries indicate that the name was already established in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Canteen can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a certain "Robert de Cantun" is mentioned. This suggests that the name had spread to various regions of England by the 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with records showing individuals such as "John Cantun" (1235) and "William de Cauntune" (1273) residing in these areas.

In the 14th century, the name can be found in various historical documents, including the Patent Rolls of 1364, which mention a "John Canteyn" from Lincolnshire. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

One notable individual with the surname Canteen was Sir William Cantelon (c. 1400-1470), a knight and landowner from Yorkshire who served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1458 and 1464.

Another significant figure was Thomas Canteyn (c. 1450-1518), a wealthy merchant and alderman from the city of Lincoln. He was known for his philanthropic contributions and founded a chantry chapel in Lincoln Cathedral.

In the 16th century, the surname continued to appear in various records, such as the Parish Registers of Lincolnshire, which include entries for individuals like "Robert Cantyne" (1543) and "Alice Cantyne" (1571).

One notable bearer of the name during this period was Sir William Canteyn (c. 1510-1584), a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire and a prominent figure in the local gentry.

By the 17th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals like "John Canteen" (1612) in Essex and "Edward Canteen" (1634) in Somerset.

Throughout its history, the surname Canteen has maintained its connection to the original occupation or trade of container-making, although over time it has become a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canteen

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

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

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

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