# Skinner (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/skinner/  
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 an occupation.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | Danish |
| Type | occupational, named after the work an ancestor did |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 54,046 |
| US rank (2010) | 627 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 5,713 people |
| Change since 2000 | +3.0% (52,490 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈskɪnɚ/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

The family surname is occupational in origin, meaning "one who prepares skins". Before becoming used as a surname the word skinner was commonly used to identify someone who treated animal skins. Alternatively, it may be borrowed from Danish and meaning "Keeper of Robes" or "skins then worn" which also hints at the historical connection to tradespeople who were involved with furs and hides.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Skinner 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) | 79% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 15% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.0% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Skinner in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

## People named Skinner

- B.F. Skinner, American behaviorist (1904–1990)
- Catherine Skinner, Australian sport shooter
- MyKayla Skinner, American artistic gymnast
- Hugh Skinner, British actor
- Kevin Skinner, American musician
- Avery Skinner, American volleyball player
- Cornelia Otis Skinner, American actress and author (1899–1979)
- Brian Skinner, American basketball player (born 1976)
- Frank Skinner, American film composer and arranger (1897–1968)
- Otis Skinner, American actor (1858-1942)
- George Herbert Skinner, British businessman
- Emily Skinner, American actress (born 2002)

and 5 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Sonnier, Sanner, Swanner, Shiner, Sinner, Sonner, Seymour, Sumner, Sommer, Shaner, Seymore, Senior.

## 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.