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

Porter, 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 Porter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Porter in America

Porter is the 159th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Porter surname appeared 163,054 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 55 people would have the surname Porter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Porter 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 Porter

The surname PORTER originated in England and Scotland during the late 12th century. It derives from the Old French word "portier", meaning gatekeeper or door attendant. In medieval times, PORTERs were responsible for guarding the entrance to castles, monasteries, and towns. The name was likely first adopted as an occupational surname by individuals employed in this role.

The name is found in early English records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1181, which mention a Walter le Porter. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname, such as Henry le Porter from Oxfordshire. These historical documents provide some of the earliest recorded examples of the name in use.

Place names like Porter's Gate in Hertfordshire and Porter's Hill in Wiltshire may have derived their names from individuals bearing the PORTER surname who lived or worked in those areas. Additionally, variations in spelling, such as Portour and Portoure, were common in early records.

Notable individuals with the surname PORTER include:

1. William PORTER (c. 1590-1659), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of Yale College in Connecticut.
2. Jane PORTER (1776-1850), a Scottish historical novelist best known for her work "The Scottish Chiefs".
3. Fitz-John PORTER (1822-1901), an American Civil War general who was court-martialed for his actions at the Second Battle of Bull Run.
4. Cole PORTER (1891-1964), an American composer and songwriter renowned for his contributions to musical theater, including classics like "Anything Goes" and "Night and Day".
5. Katherine Anne PORTER (1890-1980), an American journalist, essayist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of short stories and novels, including "Ship of Fools".

The surname PORTER has a long and storied history, originating from an occupational role in medieval England and Scotland. It has since been borne by notable figures across various fields, including religion, literature, military, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Porter

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

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

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

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