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

Flatter, 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 Flatter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flatter in America

Flatter is the 73464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flatter surname appeared 264 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 Flatter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flatter 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 Flatter

The surname FLATTER is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "flatt," meaning "flat" or "level ground." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on a flat or level area of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FLATTER surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "William le Flatur." This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the medieval period, the FLATTER name was concentrated primarily in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire in southern England. It is possible that the name may have originated from a specific place name, such as a town or village, but no definitive records have been found to confirm this.

In the 16th century, the FLATTER surname gained prominence with the birth of John Flatter (c. 1515-1588), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Winchester. His writings and sermons were widely circulated during his lifetime.

Another notable bearer of the FLATTER name was Sir William Flatter (1635-1699), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1689. His involvement in trade and civic affairs contributed to the further spread of the surname in the capital city.

During the 17th century, the FLATTER surname also appeared in various parish records and legal documents across southern England, indicating its continued presence in the region.

In the 18th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the FLATTER surname was Thomas Flatter (1722-1789), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

As the centuries progressed, the FLATTER name spread to other parts of England and eventually to other parts of the world through immigration and exploration. However, its roots can be firmly traced back to the southern counties of England, where it first emerged as a surname derived from the Old English word for "flat" or "level ground."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flatter

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Flatter, 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!