Carter is an English language surname and given name that means "one who uses a cart" with presence throughout the British Isles including England, Ireland, and Scotland. It is derived from Anglo-Norman careter or caretier with linguistic root origins tracing from the Latin Carettarius ultimately originated from the Celtic word cairt, meaning "cart". Over time, through word evolution, it evolved to describe the person who drove the cart to move goods. The word cairt is still used in Gaelic. https://learngaelic.scot/dictionary/index.jsp?abairt=cairt&slang=both&wholeword=false The Celtic word cairt has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European word "kars" or "kart", which referred to a wheeled vehicle. The surname, depending on origin may also have derivation from "cairtear," a Gaelic term for tourist or sojourner.https://www.findmypast.co.uk/surname/carter
In England, the earliest recorded use of the surname Carter dates back to 1192–1193, as evidenced by the entry of Norman knight Rannulf le Caretier in the Pipe Rolls of Huntingdonshire. This record appears during the reign of King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart who ruled from 1189 to 1199. Close to a century later, on the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census of Wales and England, includes six early bearers of the surname: Jocius Catetarius in Oxfordshire, Juliana le Cartere in Cambridgeshire, Nicholas le Carter in Oxfordshire, John le Cartere in Norfolk, Robert le Caretter in Huntingdonshire, and Margaret le Careter in Huntingdonshire. The Poll Tax of Yorkshire from 1379 lists Richardus Carter as another bearer of the surname in an Anglicized form.
Following the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 1100s, Roman Catholic English-derived Carters also arrived in Ireland and settled into walled towns established by the Normans. These Anglo-Normans assimilated into Irish culture, adopting Irish Gaelic customs, language, and religion, becoming what is referred to in Irish historiography as "more Irish than the Irish themselves." The later English and Scottish Protestant planter settlers in Ireland who arrived between the 1550s and 1700 and mainly settled in Ulster during the plantation of Ulster, established the Ulster Protestant community and remained a distinct class and group. The surname was also frequently used as a shortened, Anglicized form of the Irish surname McCarter, particularly by immigration clerks in the United States and Canada in the 19th century and early-20th century, or by families themselves aiming to shorten the name by dropping the "Mc."
The Statutes of Kilkenny in 1366, which aimed to curb the decline of the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland, established that every Englishman or Irish living amongst the English use the English language and adopt English naming and customs or be thrown in jail and lose property. It was declared for those Irish living in The Pale, to take an English surname either after a town, colour, trade, or office, which also contributed to the proliferation of Anglo and Anglicized surnames.
Today, Carter is the 44th most common surname in the United States and 56th most common in England. In Ireland it is ranked between McGarry and Cannon where it is found with greatest frequency in County Laois as the 70th most common surname and also has significant presence in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. In Scotland it is found with greatest frequency in the Outer Hebrides.
The Carter surname is common among African Americans as formerly enslaved people lost their family names long before the Emancipation and 13th Amendment to their masters (who were typically of English or Scottish descent), or through the common mixing found between Irish immigrants and free African Americans in Northern cities and communities such as Five Points and Seneca Village in New York City and elsewhere in the United States, such as New Orleans. This name is common among African Americans capable of tracing their roots back to the southern United States or Caribbean from the early 20th century and prior, with some 35% of name holders of Carter in the United States being of African American descent and it being the 22nd most common surname for Black Americans.
People with the surname
A A. P. Carter (1891–1960), American country music musician, founder of the Carter Family musical group Aaron Carter (1987–2022), American musician Abdul Carter (born 2004), American football player Ad Carter (1895–1957), American comic strip cartoonist Adam Carter (footballer) (born 1994), Australian rules footballer from Western Australia Adrian Carter (born 1959), British architect Aimee Carter (born 1986), American writer Al Carter, (born 1952), American journalist Alan Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Albert Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Alex Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Alfred Williams Carter (1894–1986), Canadian flying ace Ali Carter (born 1979), English professional snooker player Allen 'Big Al' Carter (1947–2008), American artist Ally Carter (born 1974), American author Amanda Carter (born 1964), Australian Paralympic basketball player Amon G. Carter (1879–1955), publisher of the newspaper Fort Worth Star-Telegram Amy Carter (born 1967), youngest child of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Amy Carter (politician), American politician Andre Carter (born 1979), American football player Andre Carter II (born 2000), American football player Andrew Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Angela Carter (1940–1992), English novelist and journalist Anita Carter (1933–1999), American singer-songwriter Ann Carter (1936–2014), American actress Ann Carter (rioter) (died 1629), English activist Anne Hill Carter Lee, (1773–1829), American, mother of Confederate General Robert E. Lee Anson Carter (born 1974), Canadian professional ice hockey player Anthony Carter (disambiguation), multiple people April Carter, British academic and political activist Arion Carter (born 2004), American football player Arnold Carter (1918–1989), American baseball player Asa Earl Carter (1925–1979), American speechwriter; novelist under the pseudonym Forrest Carter Ash Carter (1954–2022), American physicist, Harvard University professor, and US Secretary of Defense Ashley Carter (born 1995), English footballer
B Barrett Carter (born 2002), American football player Barry White (born Barry Eugene Carter, 1944–2003), American soul and disco singer Ben Carter (actor) (1910–1946), American actor and casting agent Ben Carter (basketball) (born 1994), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League Benny Carter (1907–2003), American jazz musician Benny Carter (painter) (1943–2014), American folk artist Bernard Carter (banker) (1893–1961), American soldier and banker Betty Carter (1929–1998), American jazz singer Bill Carter (born 1966), American writer and documentary director Billy Carter (1937–1988), American younger brother of U.S. president Jimmy Carter Billy Carter (ice hockey) (1937–2024), Canadian ice hockey player Blue Ivy Carter (born 2012), daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z Bo Carter (1893–1964), American blues musician Bob Carter (cricketer, born 1937), English cricketer for Worcestershire Bob Carter (musician) (1922–1993), American jazz bassist and arranger Bobby Carter (1939–2015), American politician in Tennessee Boo Carter (born 2005), American football player Brandon Carter (American football) (born 1986), American footballer and wrestler known as TAC Brandon Carter (born 1942), Australian theoretical physicist noted for work on the properties of black holes Brett Carter (politician) (born 1972), American politician Brett Carter (rugby league) (born 1989), British rugby league footballer Bruce Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Buddy Carter (born 1957), American Congressman from Georgia Bunchy Carter (1942–1969), American activist in the Black Panther Party
C Carl Carter (1964–2019), American footballer Carlene Carter (born 1955), American country singer-songwriter Carol Ann Carter, American artist Cedric Carter (1917–1984), British clinical geneticist Cethan Carter (born 1995), American football player Chance Carter (born 2001), Canadian soccer player Charles Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Chennedy Carter (born 1998), American basketball player Chesley William Carter (1902–1994), Canadian Member of Parliament and senator Chris Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Clarence Carter (1936–2026), American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer Clarence H. Carter (Wisconsin politician) (1874–1958), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly Clarence Holbrook Carter (1904–2000), American painter Claude Carter (1881–1952), South African cricketer Clifford Carter (born 1952), American keyboardist Clive Carter, British actor and singer Colin Carter, Canadian economist Cris Carter (born 1965), American football wide receiver Curtis L. Carter (born 19??), American? academic Cynthia Carter (born 1959), British academic, writer and feminist
D Dale Carter (born 1969), American football cornerback Dan Carter (born 1982), New Zealand rugby player Daniel Carter (disambiguation), multiple people, several other people Danielle Carter (actress), Australian actress Danielle Carter (footballer) (born 1993), English footballer Darrell Carter (born 1967), English cricketer Darren Carter (born 1983), English football player Darren Carter (comedian), American actor and stand-up comedian Darren Carter (rugby league) (born 1972), British rugby league footballer Daryl Carter (born 1975), American football linebacker Dave Carter (1952–2002), American folk singer and songwriter David Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Davy Carter (born 1975), American politician in Arkansas Dean Carter (born 1955), American convicted spree-killer Dean Vincent Carter (born 1976), English horror and fantasy fiction author Deana Carter (born 1966), American singer-songwriter of country music Deborah Carter (born 1972), American basketball player Dedric Carter, American academic administrator and researcher Dennis Malone Carter (18??–1881), Irish-born American artist who painted portraits and historical settings DeQuece Carter (born 2001), American football player Derrick Carter (born 1969), American house producer and DJ Derrick Carter (footballer) (born 1982), Guyanese international footballer Desmond Carter (1895–1939), British lyricist Desmond Keith Carter (1967–2002), American who was executed in North Carolina for a 1992 murder Devin Carter (born 2002), American basketball player DeWayne Carter (born 2000), American football player Dexter Carter (born 1967), American football running back Dick Carter (1916–1969), American baseball player and manager Dixie Carter (1939–2010), American actress Dixie Carter (wrestling) (born 1964), American wrestling promoter Dominic Carter (journalist), American news reporter and political commentator Don Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Donna Carter (2018), Trinidadian politician and diplomat Doris Carter (1912–1999), Australian high jumper and discus thrower Dorothy Carter (1935–2003), American musician Douglas Carter (1908–1988), New Zealand politician Douglas F. Carter, Canadian-born Californian politician Duane Carter (1913–1993), American racecar driver in the Indianapolis 500 Dudley C. Carter (1891–1991), Canadian-American woodcarver Duncan Carter-Campbell of Possil (1911–1990), Scottish Soldier Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born 1982), rapper known as "Lil Wayne"
E E. Finley Carter, director/president of SRI International from 1956 to 1963 Earl Carter (disambiguation), multiple people Edith Carter (), English actress and playwright Edmund Carter (cricketer, born 1785) (1785–?), English cricketer Edmund Carter (cricketer, born 1845) (1845–1923), English cricketer