Surname Cutter - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cutter: What does the surname Cutter mean?
The surname Cutter is of English occupational origin, which means it is derived from the job or profession of the initial bearer. In medieval England, a cutter was someone who cut cloth, meat, or stone. This surname would have been given to a person who worked as a tailor or a stonemason cutting blocks of stone, or butcher cutting meat. Thus, the origins of this surname are linked to crafting or manufacturing professions. Over time, this name has spread to other English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Similar to many other surnames with occupational origins, the use of Cutter as a surname coincided with the period when people began to use hereditary surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisCutter: Where does the name Cutter come from?
The surname Cutter is of English origin and is derived from the Old English ‘coter’, which meant ‘cottage dweller’. It was used to describe someone living in a small dwelling or working as a woodcutter. The variation ‘Cutter’ emerged in Yorkshire, England during the Middle Ages.
The Cutter surname, along with its variants, spread to other parts of the world during the British colonization period, mainly to countries such as the United states, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. These regions saw large influxes of people from England, Scotland, and Ireland, each bringing their unique surnames to the new lands. Today, the last name Cutter is most commonly found in the United States, although it is spread thinly across the country and is not significantly concentrated in any region. Despite its spread, the surname Cutter is not overly common and is considered quite unique. The surname also has presence in England, Australia, and Canada to lesser extents. Despite its English origins, the surname Cutter, and its variants, are fairly uncommon in the UK today.
Variations of the surname Cutter
The surname Cutter is of English origin and derived from an occupation, specifically individuals who cut cloth in medieval tailoring establishments. Due to regional differences and pronunciations, as well as historical record discrepancies, there are several variant spellings. These include Cuttler, Cutler, Cutteridge, and Cuttar.
Similar surnames may include Cottar, Couter, and Cuther, though these may not necessarily have the same occupational origin. In some cases, the surname could also be derived from locations, such as Catter in Yorkshire, England.
Additionally, it's important to note that Cutter may also be Anglicized from similar-sounding names of different origin. For instance, the German surname Kutter or Dutch Kuttor could have been transformed into Cutter upon immigration to English-speaking countries.
In the United States, English surnames often changed their spelling or were adapted, therefore additional variations may include Cuttere, Cuttor or Cuttear.
Surname distribution mapping also suggests that the Cutter name is particularly prevalent in the United States, UK, Australia, and New Zealand today. Understanding a specific family's history and migration would offer more personalized variants.
Famous people with the name Cutter
- Leslie D. Cutter: He was a Major General in the United States Air Force who served during World War II.
- Calvin Cutter: He was an American author, popular for his medical guide books back in the 19th century.
- Leonard Cutter: He was a Brigadier General in the US Air Force who served in both World Wars.
- Amos Cutter: He was a well-known American surveyor, famous for the Cutter-Zogbaum Survey which marked the boundaries of Texas, United States.
- Robert Cutter: He was an internationally recognized sinologist and scholar of Chinese literature. He was also a professor at the University of Arizona.
- Phyllis Cutter: She was an American television actress known for her roles in "The Millionaire" and "Four Star Playhouse".
- Thomas Benjamin Cutter was an architect and woodcarver during the late 18th century in England. His works include the Dance Parlour and the church of St John-at-Hampstead.
- Charles Cutter: An American librarian, was an important figure in the development of American library classification systems. Please note that these are not 'celebrities' in the modern sense, but they are certainly well-known figures in their respective fields.