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

Pitter, 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 Pitter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pitter in America

Pitter is the 24787th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pitter surname appeared 1,005 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pitter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pitter 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 Pitter

The surname Pitter is of English origin, emerging in the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English word "pyt," meaning a pit or hollow. This suggests the name may have originally referred to someone living near a pit or depression in the landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pitter can be found in the Lincolnshire Subsidy Rolls of 1275, where a Robert Pitter is mentioned. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, referencing a John Pyttere.

Variants of the name, like Pitter, Pittar, and Pyttere, can be traced back to place names like Pitter in Somerset and Pitter Street in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "pyt," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its locational roots.

Notable individuals with the surname Pitter include Sir William Pitter (1609-1672), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1661. Another prominent figure was John Pitter (1725-1803), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

In the literary world, the name is associated with the English writer and poet Edith Pitter (1867-1923), known for her nature-inspired works. Her contemporary, the architect and designer William Pitter (1872-1948), left a lasting mark on the architectural landscape of early 20th century Britain.

Lastly, the renowned British athlete and Olympic medalist Roger Pitter (1910-1979) brought fame to the surname in the realm of sports. He won a gold medal in the 4x400 meter relay at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, cementing his place in British athletic history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pitter

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

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

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

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