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

Cutter, 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 Cutter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cutter in America

Cutter is the 7311th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cutter surname appeared 4,563 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cutter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cutter 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 Cutter

The surname Cutter originated in England in the late 12th century. It derived from the Old English word "cuttere," which referred to a cutter or tailor of cloth. The name was first recorded in the county of Somerset, where many early bearers of the name were employed as skilled cloth workers.

One of the earliest known references to the Cutter surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a Ralph le Cuttere. In the 13th century, the name was also found in various other records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Walter le Cuttere.

The Cutter surname is closely associated with the textile industry that flourished in medieval England, particularly in the West Country and East Anglia. As skilled craftsmen, Cutters were responsible for cutting and shaping fabric for clothing and other garments.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname began to spread beyond its original regional boundaries. In the 1381 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, a John Cuttere is listed, while the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327 mention a Robert Cuttere.

Notable historical figures bearing the Cutter surname include:

1. William Cutter (c. 1590-1659), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Ely Cathedral.
2. John Cutter (1628-1718), an early American settler who arrived in New England in the 17th century and founded a prominent family in Massachusetts.
3. Benjamin Cutter (1719-1793), an American physician and soldier who served as a surgeon during the Revolutionary War.
4. Sarah Cutter (1772-1857), an American educator and pioneer in the field of early childhood education.
5. George Washington Cutter (1801-1865), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

While the Cutter surname has its roots in the textile trade, over time, it has become associated with various other occupations and professions as bearers of the name diversified their livelihoods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cutter

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

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

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

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