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

Falter, 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 Falter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Falter in America

Falter is the 20227th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Falter surname appeared 1,317 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 Falter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Falter 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 Falter

The surname Falter is believed to have originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages, derived from the Old High German word 'faltan,' meaning 'to fold' or 'to bend.' It was likely an occupational surname given to those who worked as tailors or seamstresses, skilled in folding and shaping fabric.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Falter can be found in the annals of the town of Nuremberg, dating back to the 14th century. A certain Hans Falter was mentioned as a respected cloth merchant in the city's guild records from the year 1367.

In the 15th century, the Falter name gained prominence in the German states of Bavaria and Saxony, where several families of artisans and craftsmen bore the surname. Notably, a woodcarver named Johann Falter from Augsburg was commissioned to create intricate panels for the city's cathedral in the late 1400s.

As the Falter name spread across Central Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Falther, Falderen, and Falterer. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Falter name in England was a German immigrant named Heinrich Falter, who settled in London in the late 16th century and established a successful tailoring business. His descendants continued the family trade, and the name became anglicized to its current spelling.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Falter surname. One such figure was Johann Michael Falter (1672-1760), a renowned Baroque composer and organist from Saxony, celebrated for his sacred choral works.

In the 19th century, Eduard Falter (1856-1935), a German-born artist, gained recognition for his landscape paintings depicting the American West. His works are featured in numerous galleries and museums across the United States.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Reinhold Falter (1880-1952), a German politician and trade unionist who played a significant role in the development of the Weimar Republic's labor laws and social welfare policies.

More recently, the Austrian author and journalist Reinhard Falter (1951-2022) garnered acclaim for his investigative journalism and exposés on political corruption and corporate scandals in his homeland.

While these are just a few examples, the Falter surname has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who share this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Falter

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

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

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

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