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

Getter, 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 Getter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Getter in America

Getter is the 24404th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Getter surname appeared 1,026 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 Getter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Getter 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 Getter

The surname Getter is of German origin, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "geten," meaning "to acquire" or "to obtain." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who was skilled at acquiring or obtaining goods or resources.

One of the earliest known references to the Getter surname can be found in the records of the city of Augsburg, Germany, in the year 1543. These records mention a certain Hans Getter, who was a merchant and landowner in the region. The name also appears in various other German records from the 16th and 17th centuries, indicating its presence in various parts of the country.

In the 18th century, the Getter surname started to appear in other parts of Europe as well. For instance, there are records of a Johann Getter, born in 1712, who served as a soldier in the Austrian army during the War of the Austrian Succession. Another notable figure was Wilhelm Getter (1745-1819), a German philosopher and writer who authored several works on ethics and moral philosophy.

As the name spread across Europe, it also underwent some variations in spelling. Some alternative spellings included Geter, Getter, and Ghetter. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and transcription differences.

One of the most prominent individuals with the Getter surname was Karl Theodor Getter (1846-1923), a German engineer and inventor. He is best known for developing the "Getter" process, which involves the use of reactive materials to remove residual gases from vacuum tubes and other sealed containers. This process was crucial in the early development of vacuum technology and played a significant role in the advancement of electronics.

Another notable figure was Max Getter (1889-1963), a German-American artist and painter known for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life. He immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and became an influential figure in the art community of California.

The Getter surname has also been associated with several place names throughout Germany and Central Europe. For example, there is a small town called Getterbach in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which may have derived its name from the surname or vice versa.

While the Getter surname has a rich history and has been carried by notable individuals throughout the centuries, it remains a relatively uncommon name in modern times. However, its origins and evolution serve as a testament to the diverse cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped surnames across Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Getter

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

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

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

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