CARTLIDGE
Cartlidge is a surname of English origin, first recorded in the Middle Ages. Its bearers historically hailed from the British Isles, and the name is almost exclusively associated with England.
The surname is a locational name. It is traditionally interpreted as deriving from the Old English words carr, meaning “rock” or “stone”, and lache, meaning “lake” or “stream”. Consequently, the implied sense is “dweller by the rocky stream or lake”. Some sources also note a derivation from the Old Norse kartr, meaning “rocky ground”, combined with the Old English pre‑7th century loecc, meaning “boggy stream”. A further explanation links the name to the Old English cearta and lēac, meaning “woodland clearing”, which suggests a reference to a person living near a clearing in the woods. All three interpretations emphasise a connection between the surname and a distinctive natural feature.
Historical documentation first records a bearer of the name as John de Carteleg in 1269 in County Northumberland. The name appears with the spelling de Cartelache in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1290 during the reign of King Edward I. The variant Thomas Cartlidge is recorded in Sheffield in 1641 and is considered the earliest appearance of the modern spelling. A christening of Hannah Cartlidge in London occurs in 1695.
The surname remains relatively uncommon in England today, ranking as the 1679th most frequent surname. It is most commonly found in the Midlands and West Midlands, especially in Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester, and also occurs in North Wales. In addition to the United Kingdom it is present in small numbers within Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, reflecting dispersal within the wider Commonwealth.
Several orthographic variants exist, including Cartledge, Cartlege, Cartlidgee, Cartrige and Cardridge. While some variations have occasionally been linked to the Old English word cartaere meaning “cart‑maker”, the predominant scholarly consensus traces the name back to the topographical roots described above.
Prominent individuals bearing the surname include English actor Jim Cartlidge, journalist, and TV presenter Kate Cartlidge, and footballer Jack Cartlidge, who plays for Grimsby Town.
In sum, the surname Cartlidge illustrates a historical association with specific landscape features and has survived for many centuries as a marker of geographic origin and family identity within England and beyond.
Typical given names associated with the Cartlidge surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Amanda
- Emma
- Estelle
- Helen
- Jane
- Julie
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Samantha
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Cartlidge in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 2,719 people named Cartlidge in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,286th most common surname in Britain. Around 42 in a million people in Britain are named Cartlidge.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Cartlidge
- Katrin Cartlidge - Actress (1961 to 2002)
- James Cartlidge - Politician
- Arthur Cartlidge - Football player (1880 to 1940)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.