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

Detter, 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 Detter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Detter in America

Detter is the 35203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Detter surname appeared 640 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 Detter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Detter 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 Detter

The surname Detter has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "detter," which means "beggar" or "vagabond." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived a wandering or transient lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Detter can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Detter was documented as a resident in the year 1532. It is likely that the name had already been in use for some time before this, as surnames were becoming increasingly common among the general population during this period.

In the 17th century, the name Detter appears to have spread beyond its initial confines in Germany. Historical records from this time indicate that individuals bearing the surname could be found in various regions of what is now modern-day Austria and Switzerland.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the surname Detter. One such individual was Johann Detter, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1717 to 1792. Another was Karl Detter, a prominent Bavarian painter and engraver who was active in the latter half of the 18th century.

As the 19th century dawned, the Detter name continued to be represented among various professions and walks of life. One individual of note was Wilhelm Detter, a German linguist and scholar who specialized in the study of ancient languages. He was born in 1841 and made significant contributions to the field of Indo-European linguistics.

In more recent times, the surname Detter has maintained a presence across various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Notable individuals bearing the name in the 20th century include Theodor Detter, a German writer and journalist who was born in 1903, and Hans Detter, an Austrian painter and sculptor who lived from 1915 to 1997.

While the surname Detter may have humble origins as a descriptive nickname, it has since established a rich history spanning several centuries and various regions of Central Europe. From scholars and artists to writers and professionals in many fields, individuals with this surname have left their mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of their respective eras.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Detter

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!