This most interesting and unusual surname derives from an Old Celtic personal name, found in areas where the Celtic influence was particularly strong, for example Brittany and Wales. This personal name means "shield" or "warrior", from the Celtic element "cad", battle (also found as "cath"). It is found as "Cador" in the Arthurian Tales, Cador being the name of the earl of Cornwall. This personal name, also found in north France (where it has formed the surnames Cadoret and Cadoudal) is evidence of the particularly strong links between Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, as early personal names in these areas have the same roots in all three languages, though in varying proportions and in slightly different forms. The name Cadoret is also found in Canada, where one George Cadoret married Ann Joppy on September 13th 1657, in Quebec. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Cador, was christened on July 12th 1713, at St. George the Martyr, Canterbury, Kent. In France, Theophile Cadore married Marie Humbert on July 28th 1869, at Laneuveville, Devant-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle. A Coat of Arms granted to a Cadore family in Brittany in 1809 depicts three gold broken chevrons on a blue shield with silver stars scattered on a red chief. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Catuuoret (no known personal name), which was dated 1378, in "Medieval Breton Records", during the reign of King Charles V of France, 1364 - 1380. 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.

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