Metter
A German surname referring to a harvester, farm worker, or reaper.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Metter. That puts it at #51,176 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Metter surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#51,176
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
407
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 407 bearers of the surname Metter in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 51176th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Metter, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Metter
The surname Metter is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia. It likely emerged sometime in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "metter," which referred to a person who made or sold mead, a fermented honey beverage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Metter can be found in the archives of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Hans Metter was mentioned in a document dated 1456. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the mid-15th century.
In the 16th century, the surname Metter appeared in several notable historical records. For example, the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Gundelsheim in Franconia contain entries for a family named Metter dating back to the late 1500s.
Notable individuals who bore the surname Metter include Johann Metter (c. 1550-1616), a German Lutheran theologian and author of several religious works. Another prominent figure was Hans Metter (1580-1648), a master goldsmith from Nuremberg whose intricate creations were highly sought after by nobles and wealthy patrons across Europe.
In the 17th century, the name Metter spread beyond its original heartland in Bavaria and Franconia. Records from this period mention individuals with this surname living in other parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring regions such as Bohemia and Austria.
One notable figure from this era was Johann Baptist Metter (1663-1726), a Bavarian architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Baroque style. His most famous work is the Asam Church in Munich, which he co-designed with his brother, the celebrated sculptor Cosmas Damian Asam.
As the centuries passed, the Metter surname continued to be found across various parts of Germany and the German-speaking world. In the 19th century, for instance, the name appears in records from areas as diverse as Saxony, Silesia, and the Rhineland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Metter
Among Census respondents with the surname Metter, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Metter bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Metter surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Black or African American1.7%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Unknown or suppressed0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Metter surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,912 | #51,176 | -19.3% |
| Count | 475 | 407 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.14 | -22.2% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Metter bearers went from 475 to 407 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 8,264 positions in the national ranking, going from #42,912 to #51,176.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Metter
FAQ
Metter surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Metter?
The surname Metter holds position #51,176 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Metter surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Metter, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.