Explore the Family Name Putter
The meaning of Putter
1. North German (mainly Pütter): topographic name for someone who lived by a pool or well, from Middle Low German putte ‘pit, puddle’, ‘well, pool’ (see Puett), or a habitational name for someone from any of various places called with this word. 2. German: possibly also a variant of Butter. 3. English: nickname possibly from Middle English putter, an agent noun derived from putten ‘to put, place, appoint’ and ‘to shove, thrust, poke, stab, throw’. It is recorded with the sense ‘head-butter’, but it may have had any number of unrecorded senses including perhaps ‘stone thrower’ for one who took part in games similar to the modern shot-put. Alternatively, from Middle English putour (Old French puteor) ‘pimp, procurer; fornicator’ with substitution of -er for -our. 4. English: variant of Pitter 1. Some characteristic forenames: German Klaus.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Putter in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Putter" has experienced a decrease between 2000 and 2010. The rankings for this surname fell from 75,219 to 94,730, marking a significant drop in popularity by 25.94 percent. The count also saw a decrease from 239 to 193, reflecting a decline of 19.25 percent. The proportion per 100,000 people decreased as well during this time, going from 0.09 to 0.07, which is a 22.22 percent decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #75,219 | #94,730 | -25.94% |
| Count | 239 | 193 | -19.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.07 | -22.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Putter
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides intriguing insights into the ethnicity associated with the surname "Putter". In 2000, the majority of people with this surname were identified as White (84.52 percent), followed by Hispanics (7.11 percent) and Blacks (5.86 percent). By 2010, the percentage of those identifying as White had increased to 89.12 percent, showing a growth of 5.44 percent. At the same time, Hispanic representation also slightly increased to 7.77 percent, marking a rise of 9.28 percent. However, the percentage of Blacks with this surname dropped to zero by 2010. There was no reported change for Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnic identities.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.52% | 89.12% | 5.44% |
| Hispanic | 7.11% | 7.77% | 9.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 5.86% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |