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

Playter Family History

Playter Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Plaster, Plater, Player, Platter, Slayter, Layer, Panter, Prater

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 Playter family from?

You can see how Playter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Playter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Playter families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1880 there were 18 Playter families living in Iowa. This was about 39% of all the recorded Playter's in USA. Iowa had the highest population of Playter families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Playter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Playter ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Playter. 19% of Playter men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Playter | 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
    13%
  • Electrician
    13%
  • Salesman
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Playter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Playter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Playter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Playter

Passenger Lists

There are 389 immigration records available for the last name Playter. 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 Playter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 287 military records available for the last name Playter. For the veterans among your Playter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Playter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Playter family history

Discover More

What is the average Playter lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Playter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Playter in 1958 was 80, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Playter

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Playter family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Playter last name

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