2000
#20,041
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,238
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.46
Rare Last name
Otter
A name derived from the aquatic, semi-aquatic mammal of the same name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,439 Americans carry the last name Otter. That puts it at #21,262 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 238,189 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Otter surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Otter with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.4K
1 in 238,189
Census rank
#21,262
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,255 bearers of the surname Otter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21262nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Otter, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Otter
The surname Otter is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "oter," which means otter, a semi-aquatic mammal. This surname likely originated as a descriptive nickname, referring to someone who was associated with or resembled the characteristics of an otter, such as being agile, sleek, or living near water.
The earliest recorded use of the surname Otter can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in areas with rivers or other water bodies where otters were commonly found. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Otere, Oter, and Otter.
Historical records indicate that the surname Otter appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where it was listed as "Johannes le Otere." This early reference suggests that the name was already established as a surname by the 13th century.
In the 14th century, the surname Otter was documented in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a William Oter was mentioned. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332 referenced a John Otter.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Otter was William Otter, who was born around 1370 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. He was a prominent merchant and served as the Mayor of Coventry in the early 15th century.
In the 16th century, the surname Otter was found in various parts of England, including the county of Somerset. The Visitation of Somerset in 1623 recorded the Otter family as having a coat of arms, indicating their status as a respected family.
Another notable individual with the surname Otter was Edward Otter (1598-1686), an English clergyman and author from Devon. He wrote several works on religious topics and served as the Rector of Gittisham in Devon.
In the 18th century, William Otter (1768-1840) was a prominent English clergyman and scholar. He was the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and served as the Bishop of Chichester from 1836 until his death.
The surname Otter has also been associated with several place names, such as Otterburn in Northumberland, Otterford in Somerset, and Ottershaw in Surrey, which may have influenced the development and distribution of the surname in these areas.
Overall, the surname Otter has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England, with references spanning various regions and occupations, including merchants, clergymen, and scholars. Its origin can be traced back to the Middle English word for the semi-aquatic mammal, reflecting the descriptive nature of many early English surnames.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Otter
Among Census respondents with the surname Otter, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Otter bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Otter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 1,133
- Two or more races4.7% · 59
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 42
- Black or African American0.9% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Otter
Otter appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#20,076
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,331
+93 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.45
Rank movement Down 35 places
2020
#21,262
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,255
-76 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Down 1,186 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,041 | 1,238 | 0.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,076 | 1,331 | 0.45 | +93 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 35 places |
| 2020 | #21,262 | 1,255 | 0.42 | -76 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 1,186 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Otter surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,076 | #21,262 | -5.9% |
| Count | 1,331 | 1,255 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.45 | 0.42 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Otter bearers went from 1,331 to 1,255 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 1,186 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,076 to #21,262.
FAQ
Otter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Otter?
Name Census estimates that about 1,439 living Americans carry the surname Otter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 238,189 residents.
How common is Otter?
Otter ranks #21,262 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,255 people with the surname Otter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,439), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Otter.
Has Otter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Otter went from 1,331 recorded bearers to 1,255. That is a decrease of 76 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #20,076 to #21,262.
What does the Census say about the background of Otter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Otter, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Otter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (1,133 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Otter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Two or More Races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Otter (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Otter mean?
A name derived from the aquatic, semi-aquatic mammal of the same name. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Otter (0.42 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Otter?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.