# Peter (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/peter/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Latin |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 9,191 |
| US rank (2010) | 3,859 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 33,592 people |
| Change since 2000 | +6.1% (8,662 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpitɚ/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Middle English Peter, from Old English Petrus, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”). Doublet of Pedro, Piers, and Boutros.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Peter in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 71% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 8.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 12% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 3.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.1% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Peter in Austria, the United States, Poland and Habsburg monarchy.

## People named Peter

- Philipp Peter, Austrian racing driver
- H. G. Peter, American newspaper illustrator and cartoonist
- Franz Peter, Austrian flying ace, major of the Polish Army (1896–1968)
- Johann Wenzel Peter, Austrian painter (1745–1829)
- Taelon Peter, American basketball player (born 2002)
- Patrick Peter, Austrian ice hockey player
- Friedrich Peter, Austrian politician (1921–2005)

## Similar surnames

Potter, Petrie, Petro, Petry, Petri, Petree, Petrey, Petre, Pettry, Pater, Pitter, Pedro.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.