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

Canterbury, 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 Canterbury surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Canterbury in America

Canterbury is the 7488th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Canterbury surname appeared 4,449 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Canterbury.

We can also compare 2010 data for Canterbury 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 Canterbury

The surname Canterbury originated in England in the 10th century, deriving from the Old English words "Cant" meaning "lip" or "edge," and "ware" meaning "dwelling place." It referred to people living near the edge or boundary of the city of Canterbury in Kent.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Canteware" and "Cantewara." The name was initially locational, given to those residing in or near the city of Canterbury.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Walter of Canterbury, a 12th-century Anglo-Norman poet and writer. He is known for his works on the lives of saints and religious poetry.

Another historical reference to the name can be found in the 13th century, with the mention of William of Canterbury, a 13th-century English philosopher and theologian. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Cantebury," "Cantrebury," and "Canterberie." One notable individual from this period was Simon of Canterbury, a 14th-century English scholar and clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1348 to 1349.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of William Canterbury (1537-1608), an English Protestant clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral.

Another notable figure was Thomas Canterbury (1592-1654), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Canterbury and wrote several religious works.

The surname Canterbury has been carried by many other individuals throughout history, including artists, authors, and academics. While its origins trace back to the city of Canterbury, the name has since spread to various parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Canterbury

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

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

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

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