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

Coulter, 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 Coulter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coulter in America

Coulter is the 1725th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coulter surname appeared 20,757 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Coulter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coulter 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 Coulter

The surname Coulter originates from Scotland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the old English word "culter," which means a plowshare or a coulter, an implement used to cut furrows in the soil before the seed is planted. This suggests that the name may have originated from ancestors who were farmers or worked in agriculture.

The name Coulter can be traced to various regions in Scotland, particularly in the areas of Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, and Ayrshire. In the late 12th century, a Robert Cultor was mentioned in the records of the Abbey of Kelso, located in the Scottish Borders. This is one of the earliest known references to the name.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in several charters and records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. One notable entry is that of Robert de Coulter, who held lands in Lanarkshire.

The Coulter surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Coulter in Lanarkshire, which was likely named after an early bearer of the name. Other variations of the spelling include Culter, Coltyr, and Colter.

One of the earliest recorded figures with the Coulter surname was Sir John Coulter, who lived in the 15th century and served as a Scottish diplomat and ambassador to England during the reign of King James II of Scotland (1437-1460).

Another notable bearer of the name was John Coulter (c. 1578-1660), a Scottish theologian and minister who served as the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1637 to 1640.

In the 17th century, John Coulter (1606-1671) was a Scottish merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce during that period.

Thomas Coulter (1793-1843) was a Scottish-Irish botanist and explorer, best known for his extensive collections of plant specimens from Mexico and California.

John Mercer Coulter (1851-1928) was an American botanist and educator, who made significant contributions to the field of plant morphology and was a pioneering figure in the study of plant evolution.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the Coulter surname throughout history, reflecting the name's Scottish origins and its presence across various professions and fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coulter

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

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 Coulter 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 Coulter 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 Coulter was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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