The Packer surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,048 people carried this name — #3,933 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 32,600 people counted. That is up 1% from 8,962 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Packer surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as an occupational name: ‘the packer’.

An early record he cites: Walter le Packere, Bedfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 578 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 29 people named Packer live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Santa Fe.

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

Where they live today

Santa Fe 17
City of Buenos Aires 12

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

47 families named Packer, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 276 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. 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

Connecticut 17
North Carolina 8
Pennsylvania 6
Maine 5
New Hampshire 3
Massachusetts 2
Maryland 2
Virginia 2
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 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. 256 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Packer in American newspapers,
1876–1912.

Newspaper page from The Daily Missoulian carrying the name Packer
The Daily Missoulian 1912-09-10
Newspaper page from The Opelousas Courier carrying the name Packer
The Opelousas Courier 1876-01-08
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Packer
The Anaconda Standard 1896-03-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,310 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Packer in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.

39,199 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Packer. The most, 6,380, date from the 1940s. New South Wales 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 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 13,731
South Australia 8,995
Victoria 5,672
Queensland 4,036
Tasmania 3,975
Western Australia 1,456
ACT (Canberra) 1,197
Northern Territory 26

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

Who carried it

People named Packer,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ethel Mildred Packer d. 1939
  • Caroline Packer d. 1876
  • John Packer 1572–1649 · politician
  • Robert Packer 1614–1682 · politician
  • Philip Packer 1618–1686 · architect
  • Robert Packer 1670–1731

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Packer,
in the records of 8 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 States980 records

980 records of the Packer name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 334
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 311
  • Other U.S. records 335
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George Packer

    Born 1915 in Alabama. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Blanding, Florida; construction laborer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1965, buried at Barrancas National Cemetery, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Klara Packer

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Pomeranian from Glasgow, aged 24; domestic. From Yeskin, Russia; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Leo M. Packer

    Born 1931; from Spokane County, Washington. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; killed in action 1950 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 980 records for Packer in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia552 records

552 records of the Packer name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 262
  • Tasmanian Names Index 103
  • Other Australian records 187
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Arthur Howard Packer

    Died 1912 in Moonah, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1913.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Ida Frederica Packer

    Born 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1934 in Tasmania, aged 80.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Harry Effingham Packer

    Born 1861 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1883 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 22. Died 1914 in Tasmania, aged 52.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 552 records for Packer in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada50 records

50 records of the Packer name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 29
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 4
  • Other Canadian records 17
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Beryl Packer

    Died 1972, aged 59; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Smith Packer

    Buried in 1909 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Victoria May Packer

    Died 1972 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 50 records for Packer in Canada.

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

New Zealand26 records

26 records of the Packer name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 18
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 6
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ellen Packer

    Died 1943, aged 55; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jean Elizabeth Packer

    Died 1977, aged 54; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Packer

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 26 records for Packer in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom21 records

21 records of the Packer name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 18
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Packer

    Buried in 1834 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 25.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Packer

    Driver, London Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lewis Packer

    Buried in 1827 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 65.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 21 records for Packer in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands20 records

20 records of the Packer name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 19
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gijsje Packer

    Died 1862 in Rotterdam, aged 83.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Philips Packer

    Married in 1597 in Delft; "houdtzager".

    Open Archives, Archief Delft (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Johanna Packer

    Buried in 1738 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Breda (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Packer in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Germany5 records

5 records of the Packer name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Friedrich Päcker

    From Pekelsheim, Warburg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 6 January 1915 (Fusilier Regiment No. 33).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Julius Packer

    From Garbstedt, Mansf. Seekr. Listed as returned from captivity in the Imperial Navy casualty list of 15 August 1919.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Packer in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (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).

France3 records

3 records of the Packer 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 Catherine Maud Packer

    Born 1917 in Great Britain; died 1993 in Brie-Comte-Robert (Seine-et-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 Peter Packer

    Born 1933 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Montmartin-en-Graignes (Manche).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Packer 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Packer.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Packer 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.

See the Packer volume
Scroll to Top