Where Does the Caldor Surname Come From?

Caldor sits within the Calder family of names, which has Scottish roots. The name is generally explained as “Hard water (river name)”. Caldor is listed among the recognised spellings of Calder. Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists. Related forms: Cawdor.

Similar-sounding surnames on Herald Lab: Calderó and Caldera.

Arms linked to Calder and its spellings were granted to individual families; our heraldry team traces which line they belonged to. Get the complete Caldor report, with a museum-style coat of arms.