'cartographer' originates from French, specifically the word 'cartographe,' where the prefix 'carto-' comes from Greek 'chartēs' meaning 'paper' or 'map' and the element '-graph' comes from Greek 'graphein' meaning 'to write.'

'cartographe' and the related noun 'cartography' entered scholarly use via French and Late Latin; the English noun 'cartographer' was formed from 'cartography' + the agent suffix '-er' in modern English.

Initially, it literally meant 'one who writes or draws maps'; over time it evolved into the modern sense of 'a person who makes maps,' often implying professional skill and the use of surveying or mapping technology.