The Luther surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,906 people carried this name — #2,589 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 21,200 people counted. That is up 2% from 13,601 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Luther surname

A surname originating as an occupation.

Inherited from Middle English luthier (“lute player”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Luther» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

148 people named Luther live in Switzerland.

They live in 11 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 41
St. Gallen 26
Aargau 20
Thurgau 13
Bern 11
Nidwalden 8
Graubünden 7
Lucerne 7

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Poland’s population register

63 people named Luther have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 97 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Greater Poland.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Greater Poland 28
Kuyavian-Pomeranian 12
Lesser Poland 8
Pomeranian 5
Lower Silesian 4
Lublin 4
Łódź 2

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 35 people named Luther.

11 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 8 départements, most often Haute-Marne.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 11
Haute-Marne 9
Haut-Rhin 4
Nord 3
Bas-Rhin 2
Paris 2
Seine-et-Marne 2
Gironde 1
Moselle 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

175 people named Luther are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 139
Finland (2026) 36

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

111 families named Luther, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 582 people lived in those households, 5.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 51
Rhode Island 28
New York 7
Pennsylvania 7
Vermont 6
Connecticut 4
Maryland 3
North Carolina 3
New Hampshire 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 251 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Luther in American newspapers,
1900–1920.

Newspaper page from The Polk County Republican carrying the name Luther
The Polk County Republican 1918-03-08
Newspaper page from The Caucasian carrying the name Luther
The Caucasian 1900-01-04
Newspaper page from Vilas County News carrying the name Luther
Vilas County News 1920-03-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 20,458 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Luther in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1980s.

6,341 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Luther. The most, 1,343, date from the 1900s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 1,872
New South Wales 1,783
South Australia 1,126
Victoria 863
Western Australia 280
Tasmania 201
ACT (Canberra) 58
Northern Territory 4

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Luther.

Who carried it

People named Luther,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Hans Luther
    Hans Luther 1459–1530 · entrepreneur
  • Margarethe Luther
    Margarethe Luther 1460–1531
  • Margarethe Luther
    Margarethe Luther 1463–1531
  • Martin Luther
    Martin Luther 1483–1546 · writer
  • Martin Luther
    Martin Luther 1483–1546 · writer
  • John Christian Luther d. 1789 · composer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Luther,
in the records of 10 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,644 records

1,644 records of the Luther name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 506
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 400
  • Other U.S. records 738
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Clyde Luther

    Born 1904 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1942 at Portland, Oregon; driver from Multnomah County, Oregon. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1955, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edwin R. Luther

    Born 1913 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; machine shop worker from Queens County. U.S. Army veteran; died 1978, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Thomas E. Luther

    Born 1911 in Georgia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; mechanic from Douglas County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at College Park Memorial Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,644 records for Luther in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Germany824 records

824 records of the Luther name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 814
  • German emigration and citizenship files 9
  • German estate files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Albert Luther

    Born 1878; from Hansfelde, Filehne. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 7 September 1916; then reported dead in the list of 30 December 1916 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 9).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Johann Luther

    Left Schwanhausen for Thuringia, Linden in 1846.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Staatsarchiv Würzburg (CC0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Anna Luther

    Emigrated to North America in 1862.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)

Showing 3 of 824 records for Luther in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Netherlands307 records

307 records of the Luther name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 150
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 110
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 47
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Maria Luther

    Married in 1873 in Rotterdam. Died 1886 in Rotterdam, aged 55.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Martinus Luther

    Born 1867 in Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel. Died 1868 in Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Antonia Catharina Joanna Luther

    Married in 1866 in Helmond; born 1841 in Antwerpen, Belgium. Died 1934 in Rotterdam, aged 93.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 307 records for Luther in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia80 records

80 records of the Luther name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 47
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 14
  • Other Australian records 19
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Luther

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the William Jardine, arriving 1838; ticket of leave 1846.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry Luther

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Queen of the East, aged 25; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Luther

    Gentleman of Brunswick, Victoria; died 1895.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 80 records for Luther in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada44 records

44 records of the Luther name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 31
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 6
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Isaac Luther

    Killed in 1918 at the Allan Shaft, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Martin Luther

    Buried in 1945 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 82.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Hannah Leona Luther

    Buried in 1972 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 84.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 44 records for Luther in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

France17 records

17 records of the Luther name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Madeleine Berthe Luther

    Born 1916 in Switzerland; died 2001 in Fontenay-sous-Bois (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Georges Dominique Luther

    Born 1963 in Saint-Dizier; died 1982 in Saint-Dizier (Haute-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 17 records for Luther in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Norway10 records

10 records of the Luther name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Julius Luther

    Census of 1910: Luthers Hus, Hurum; bricklayer, born 1872 in Germany.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Maria Luther

    Census of 1910: Luthers Hus, Hurum; born 1909 in Hurum.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 10 records for Luther in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Switzerland7 records

7 records of the Luther name in Switzerland Zürich marriage records, 16th–18th centuries
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Afra Luther

    Married in 1582 in Ossingen, canton of Zürich; of Villingen (Deutschland).

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Niklaus Luther

    Married in 1541 in Grossmünster, canton of Zürich.

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Luther in Switzerland.

Counts: Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Luther name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Luther

    Royal Irish Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. H. Luther

    Cheshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Luther in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Luther name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1939–1945
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Karl Walfrid Luther

    Born 1917 in Helsinki; office clerk. Died in 1940 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Helsinki.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Luther.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Luther is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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