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

Poulter, 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 Poulter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poulter in America

Poulter is the 19865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poulter surname appeared 1,353 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 Poulter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poulter 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 Poulter

The surname Poulter originates from England, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "pouletier," meaning a poulterer or a dealer in poultry. The name's earliest recorded spelling is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where it appears as "Pulter."

In medieval times, the Poulter name was associated with individuals engaged in the trade of raising, selling, or processing poultry. The name likely emerged in areas where this occupation was prevalent, such as market towns and villages across various regions of England.

The Poulter surname is mentioned in several historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which reference a "Walter le Pulter." The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain direct references to the Poulter name. However, it does mention individuals with similar occupational surnames, such as "Gallinarius" (poulterer) and "Auceps" (fowler).

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Poulter surname was John Poulter, a prominent merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Thomas Poulter, a prominent landowner and member of Parliament for Norfolk in the 16th century (born around 1510, died in 1588).

In the 17th century, the Poulter name appeared in various records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1665, which listed a John Poulter residing in the village of Cuddesdon. During this period, the surname was also found in the nearby county of Berkshire, with records showing a William Poulter born in Wantage around 1620.

Another individual of note was Sir John Poulter (1661-1737), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1723. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, one of the City of London's livery companies.

In the 18th century, the Poulter name gained further recognition with the birth of John Poulter (1718-1787), a renowned English landscape painter and engraver. His works depicting rural scenes and country life were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

Throughout its history, the Poulter surname has been associated with various occupations, from poulterers and merchants to landowners and artists. While the name's origins lie in the poultry trade, it has since diversified and spread across different regions of England and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poulter

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

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

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

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