Find out how popular the last name Ater is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ater.

Ater, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ater in America

Ater is the 21759th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ater surname appeared 1,195 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ater to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ater

The surname ATER has its origins in medieval Germany, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "ater," meaning "ear of grain" or "spike of a plant." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who worked with crops or lived in an area known for its abundant grain production.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ATER can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around 1270. This document mentions a person named "Ater de Colonia," indicating that the name was already in use in the city of Cologne at that time.

In the 14th century, the name ATER appeared in various records across Germany, such as the Nuremberg Tax Rolls of 1348, which listed a "Heinricus Ater" among the city's residents. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions and was becoming more widespread.

During the Renaissance period, the ATER surname gained prominence with the birth of Konrad Ater (1470-1546), a German humanist and scholar who served as a professor at the University of Ingolstadt. His writings on philosophy and theology earned him a reputation as one of the leading intellectuals of his time.

Another notable figure bearing the ATER surname was Johann Ater (1588-1637), a German composer and organist who was renowned for his sacred music compositions. His works were widely performed in churches across Germany during the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the ATER name was associated with Johann Christoph Ater (1712-1784), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Marburg. His published works on ethics and natural law were highly influential in academic circles of the time.

As the centuries progressed, the ATER surname spread beyond Germany to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas through immigration. For instance, records show that a family named Ater settled in Pennsylvania, United States, in the early 19th century, likely fleeing religious persecution or seeking new opportunities.

Throughout its long history, the ATER surname has been spelled in various ways, including Atter, Atther, and Aeter, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained largely unchanged, serving as a testament to its deep-rooted Germanic heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ater

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ater.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ater was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ater has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ater was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ater, please contact us.

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