Origin of the surname Caine

This interesting surname has three possible sources; firstly, it may be of Old French origin, and is either a nickname for a tall, thin man, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who gathered reeds, which were needed in the Middle Ages as a floor covering, and for weaving small baskets, or a topographical name for someone who lived in a damp area overgrown with reeds. It derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed. Secondly, it may be a Norman locational name from the town of Caen, in Calvados, Normandy, named with the Gaulish elements "catu", battle, plus "magos" meaning field, plain.

Finally, it may be of Welsh origin, deriving from the female given name "Keina", perhaps a short form of such Welsh personal names as "Ceindrych, Ceinwen", from the Welsh "cain" meaning beautiful. The surname dates back to the late 12th Century (see below). London Church Records list the marriage of Michael Cain to Rebecca Chapell, on February 2nd 1600, at St. Bride's, Fleet Street. A Coat of Arms granted to a Cain family is black, a silver phoenix. The Crest is a demi antelope per fesse blue and silver, gold collared and armed. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godfrey Kein, which was dated 1198, in the "Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

The surname Caine. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

Discovering the historical roots of caine is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname caine is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.

The surname Caine around the world

Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname caine. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname caine provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.

History of Caine

The historical chronicle of caine is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname caine, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of caine developed.

We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname caine, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about caine and send it to us, we will update it on this website.

Notable Figures Named Caine

It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished caines throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname caine were recorded by the chroniclers of the time.

The surname Caine and its bibliographic sources

Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of caine. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of caine are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of caine, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

Origin of Caine