Surname Painter - Meaning and Origin

A Personal Journey into Identity and Heritage: The Unveiling of the Painter Lineage Through DNA Test

My understanding of my surname 'Painter' and personal identity has been transformed after taking an iGENEA DNA test. The results expanded my perspective on heritage and has paved the way for a riveting personal journey.

B. Painter

Painter: What does the surname Painter mean?

The surname Painter is of occupational origin, deriving from the occupation of the original bearers. Occupational surnames were based on the profession or trade of the first person who carried the name. The surname Painter would have been given to a person who worked as a painter. This could refer both to those who painted houses and buildings, and those who painted artwork. It is important to note that during the Middle Ages, it was common for one village to have only one person with a particular trade, so there was no need for further identification.

The surname Painter is derived from the Old French word 'peintour', which means 'painter'. This was adopted into Middle English and became 'peinter'. This surname is common in England and Wales and has variants throughout Western Europe due to the widespread need for individuals with painting skills throughout history.

Thus, the surname Painter is an example of an occupational surname, a type of surname that was formed by the role or job of the first person who carried that surname.

Painter: Where does the name Painter come from?

The surname Painter has English origins and is derived from the occupation of a painter, particularly a painter of stained glass. The old English term "peyntour" influenced the formation of the name. Dating back to the late 13th century, it has evolved through various forms including Paynter, Poynter, and Peynter.

Modern-day bearers of the Painter surname are most commonly found in the United States, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler. Within the US, it is particularly widespread in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. This surname also has a significant presence in England, especially in the West Midlands and South West regions.

However, despite its English origin, the distribution of the Painter surname isn’t highly concentrated in its country of origin compared to the United States. The frequency and distribution of surnames can be affected by migration patterns, intermarriage, and anglicization of names, indicating that the painters or their descendants may have migrated to the U.S over the centuries.

Variations of the surname Painter

The surname Painter is of English origin, primarily used in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. This surname could have occupational roots, referring to an individual who either painted in literal sense or a "panter", someone who made pans and pots.

Variants and different spellings of the surname Painter include: Panteire, Penter, Paynter, Paitner, Paintr, Pantyr, and Payntr. There are also geographical variants like Panneter from Normandy.

A closely related surname with the same origin is Pinner, derived from an Old English word, "pinn" which refers to someone who makes or sells pins or a person who operates a spinning wheel.

One more historic variant of Painter is the surname Penther deriving from the occupation of "Pentere", which in Middle English was a term used for a maker of wooden vessels or tubs.

Also, in some case Painter could possibly be derived or Anglicised from German surname such as "Bender" or French surnames like "Peintre".

Please note, the variants and origins can vastly differ based on geographical location and historical context.

Famous people with the name Painter

• Paul Painter: He is known for editing on several famous films including "Iron Man", "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest", and "The Terminal".
• Jim Painter: Popular comedian who worked as a writer on popular TV shows like Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Joy Behar Show.
• Nell Irvin Painter: An eminent American historian notable for her works on Southern history of the nineteenth century. She's the Edward Professor of American History at Princeton University.
• William Painter: A Welsh inventor who invented the crown cork bottle cap and bottle opener.
• Kevin Painter: An English professional darts player who has been competing since the 1980s.
• Harry Painter: He was a Major League Baseball Pitcher.
• Russ Painter: He is known for his work on movies like Leverage, The Librarians, and Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232.
• Virginia B. Painter: She was a popular artist known for her marine paintings, especially of ships and harbors.
• Margot Painter: She is a known actress, popular for "The Sonata" (2018), "Falling" (2017) and "Long Forgotten Fields" (2016).
• Ted Painter: Famous academic known for his work in the field of acoustics and his role as a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Other surnames

PaintPaintner