History of your Surname
Get access to Painter family records.Start a free trial

Painter Family History

Painter Name Meaning

English: from Middle English peintour painter peintir penter pointour (Old French peintour paintour) ‘painter of images (on walls screens shields etc.) colorist (of statues figurines chests etc.) artist’. In the Middle Ages the walls of both great and minor churches were covered with painted decorations and Reaney and Wilson note that in 1308 Hugh le Peyntour and Peter the Pavier were employed ‘making and painting the pavement’ at Saint Stephen's Chapel Westminster. The name is widespread in England. Americanized form of German Bender . Compare Bainter . Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Pajntar or Panjtar topographic names from the field name Pajnta or Na Pajnti which is derived from Middle High German biunt(e) ‘fenced agricultural land’ (compare German Paintner ) or perhaps from Bavarian Middle High German pant ‘band’ (compare Panter ). In some cases also an American shortened form (or a very rare German variant) of South German Paintner a cognate of 3 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Panter, Pointer, Pinter, Pinner, Winter, Tainter, Ganter, Paine

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Painter family from?

You can see how Painter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Painter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Painter families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 110 Painter families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 28% of all the recorded Painter's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Painter families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Painter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Painter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Painter. 19% of Painter men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Painter women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Painter were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Painter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    7%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Painter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 275,000 census records available for the last name Painter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Painter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Painter

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Painter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Painter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Painter. For the veterans among your Painter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Painter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Painter family history

Discover More

What is the average Painter lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Painter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Painter in 1943 was 47, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Painter

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Painter family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Painter last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial