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

Teeter, 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 Teeter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Teeter in America

Teeter is the 5859th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Teeter surname appeared 5,892 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Teeter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Teeter 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 Teeter

The surname "TEETER" is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "teteren," which means "to totter" or "to stagger." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with an unsteady gait or a tendency to stumble.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten" (Genealogical Tables of European States), a historical document compiled in the late 19th century. It mentions a Johannes Teeter, who lived in the town of Nürnberg in the early 1400s.

The name also appears in several other ancient records, including the "Annalen von Regensburg" (Annals of Regensburg), which mentions a Gertrud Teeter from the year 1497. Additionally, the "Chronik der Stadt Augsburg" (Chronicle of the City of Augsburg) references a Hans Teeter, a merchant who lived in the city during the late 15th century.

As the Teeter family spread across different regions of Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Teter," "Tetter," and "Tether." Some of these variations might have been influenced by the local dialects or the transcription practices of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname "TEETER" throughout history include:

1. Wilhelm Teeter (1568-1632), a German theologian and author of several religious texts.
2. Anna Teeter (1623-1701), a German midwife and herbalist renowned for her knowledge of traditional medicine.
3. Johann Teeter (1712-1789), a German architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Rhineland region.
4. Friedrich Teeter (1821-1898), a German industrialist and founder of the Teeter Metalworks in Essen.
5. Greta Teeter (1879-1964), a German artist known for her landscapes and portraits of rural life.

While the surname "TEETER" originated in Germany, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond as families migrated and settled in new regions. However, the name's roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages, reflecting a rich history that spans centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Teeter

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

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

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

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