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

Panter, 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 Panter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Panter in America

Panter is the 18208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Panter surname appeared 1,528 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Panter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Panter 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 Panter

The surname Panter is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared in the late 15th century. The name is thought to derive from the Middle High German word "panter," which referred to a panther or leopard. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with these animals, perhaps as a hunter or a keeper.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Panter can be found in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a famous illustrated world history book published in 1493. In this text, a person with the surname Panter is mentioned, though no additional details are provided.

In the 16th century, the name began to spread beyond Germany to other parts of Europe. Records from this time show variations in spelling, such as Panter, Panter, and Panther. These variations likely reflect regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One notable bearer of the Panter surname was Johann Panter, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1482 to 1548. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another early figure with the Panter surname was Hans Panter, a 16th-century German painter and printmaker. He was known for his intricate woodcuts and engravings, many of which depicted religious scenes and allegorical subjects.

In the 17th century, the Panter surname appeared in England, possibly brought over by German immigrants. One example is John Panter, a merchant who lived in London in the early 1600s and is mentioned in various trade records from the time.

As the name spread across Europe and beyond, it became associated with various places and localities. For instance, the village of Panterbach in Germany likely derived its name from the Panter surname, indicating that a family with this name may have once lived or owned land in the area.

Other notable individuals with the Panter surname include:

1. Wilhelm Panter (1826-1893), a German chemist and inventor known for his work on synthetic dyes.
2. Theodor Panter (1801-1876), a German philologist and educator who served as the headmaster of several prestigious schools in Prussia.
3. Kaspar Panter (1495-1558), a German theologian and reformer who played a role in the Protestant Reformation in Nuremberg.
4. Johann Friedrich Panter (1770-1842), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge and professor of law.
5. Rosalie Panter (1849-1919), an American author and activist who wrote extensively on issues related to women's rights and suffrage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Panter

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

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

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

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