Nutter
An occupational surname for a person who gathered or processed nuts, or a nickname for an eccentric person.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,460 Americans carry the last name Nutter. That puts it at #4,368 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 36,232 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nutter 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
9.5K
1 in 36,232
Census rank
#4,368
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,137 bearers of the surname Nutter in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4368th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nutter, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nutter
The surname Nutter is of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "nott" or "not," which means "nut" or "nutkin." It was likely an occupational surname given to a person who gathered or sold nuts. The name can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of northern England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nutter can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where a John le Nutter is mentioned. The prefix "le" was commonly used in medieval times to denote a person's occupation or place of origin.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Nuttour," "Nuter," and "Nuttar" in various records and documents from the region. The spellings began to standardize to "Nutter" by the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Nutter family has a long history in the village of Haworth, Yorkshire, where they were prominent landowners and farmers. John Nutter (1679-1753), a wealthy clothier and landowner from Haworth, was a notable figure who left a significant portion of his estate to fund the building of a new church in the village.
Another notable Nutter was Thomas Nutter (1764-1846), a renowned clockmaker from Pendle, Lancashire. His longcase clocks are highly prized by collectors and can be found in various museums and private collections.
In the 19th century, Isaac Nutter (1837-1905), a businessman and philanthropist from Bradford, Yorkshire, made significant contributions to the city's development. He founded the Nutter Orphanage and was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions in the area.
The name Nutter also has connections to the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612, where members of the Nutter family were accused of witchcraft. Alice Nutter, a wealthy landowner, was one of the accused and was eventually executed for her alleged involvement in the trials.
While the surname Nutter is predominantly found in northern England, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration. Some notable Nutters include Charles Nutter (1858-1951), an English cricketer who played for Lancashire, and Jonathan Nutter (born 1957), an American actor and screenwriter known for his work in films like "Firefly" and "Serenity."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nutter
Among Census respondents with the surname Nutter, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nutter 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 Nutter surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1%
- Black or African American6.3%
- Hispanic or Latino1.9%
- Two or more races1.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Nutter 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 | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,368 | #4,368 | 0.0% |
| Count | 8,137 | 8,137 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.76 | 2.76 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Nutter bearers went from 8,137 to 8,137 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #4,368 to #4,368.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Nutter
FAQ
Nutter surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Nutter?
The surname Nutter holds position #4,368 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 9,460 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.76 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Nutter surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nutter, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.3%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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.