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

Jeter, 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 Jeter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jeter in America

Jeter is the 2729th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jeter surname appeared 13,198 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Jeter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jeter 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 Jeter

The surname JETER has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "jeter," meaning "to throw" or "to cast." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade, possibly a person who worked with throwing or casting objects, such as a potter or a fisherman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname JETER can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Jeter de Normandie, indicating that the name had already spread from France to England by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family bearing the name JETER residing in the village of Gévaudain, located in the province of Auvergne, France. This area was known for its pottery and ceramic production, lending credence to the theory that the name was originally associated with this trade.

Notable individuals with the surname JETER include Jean JETER (1602-1678), a French explorer and cartographer who mapped parts of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes region. Another noteworthy figure is Marie-Antoinette JETER (1755-1793), a French aristocrat who was executed during the French Revolution.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname JETER dates back to the late 18th century, when a family of Huguenot descent settled in South Carolina. This family produced several prominent figures, including William JETER (1781-1838), a Baptist minister and founder of the Furman Institute, now known as Furman University.

Another notable American with the surname JETER is Derek JETER (born 1974), a former professional baseball player who spent his entire 20-year career with the New York Yankees. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

Throughout its history, the surname JETER has maintained a strong presence in various parts of the world, with notable individuals contributing to fields such as exploration, religion, sports, and more.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jeter

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

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

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

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