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

Felter, 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 Felter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Felter in America

Felter is the 17419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Felter surname appeared 1,620 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Felter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Felter 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 Felter

The surname Felter is believed to have originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "felter," which refers to a person who worked with felt, either as a maker or seller. The earliest known spelling variations include Felther and Feltner.

One of the earliest documented references to the Felter name can be found in the church records of the town of Hirschau, located in the region of Bavaria, Germany. In these records, a man named Hans Felter is mentioned as having lived in the town in the late 1500s.

Another early record of the Felter name comes from the city of Nuremberg, where a merchant named Jakob Felter is recorded as having been a member of the local guild of felt makers in the early 1600s.

As the name spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it took on various localized spellings, such as Felther, Feltner, and Felterer. In some areas, the name was also associated with specific place names, such as the village of Felten in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Felter surname was Johann Felter (1619-1685), a German theologian and author who wrote several works on Lutheran doctrine and theology. Another prominent figure was Friedrich Felter (1786-1868), a German philosopher and educator who taught at the University of Heidelberg.

In the 19th century, the Felter name began to appear more frequently in records from other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with significant German populations. For example, in the United Kingdom, a man named William Felter (1812-1889) is recorded as having been a successful businessman and landowner in the city of Manchester.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Felter name dates back to the late 18th century, when a man named Johannes Felter is listed as having arrived in Pennsylvania from Germany in 1785. Another notable individual was John G. Felter (1865-1936), an American physician and author who wrote extensively on the use of botanical medicines and natural remedies.

Throughout history, the Felter surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, merchants, scholars, and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to the German felt-making trade, the name has since spread across the globe, taking on new meanings and associations in different cultural contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Felter

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

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

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

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