The Potter surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 72,175 people carried this name — #457 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 4,090 people counted. That is up 2% from 71,103 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Potter surname
An English surname originating as an occupation for a potter.
From Middle English Potter, English, Dutch, and north German surname, from the noun pot. The usage for someone from Stoke-on-Trent refers to it being the home of the pottery industry in England, where it is also known as The Potteries.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Potter» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 14 births for the Potter name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 53 people named Potter.
21 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often La Réunion.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
48 people named Potter live in Switzerland.
They live in 6 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
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 Argentina’s national register
At least 27 people named Potter 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 Neuquén.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
22 people named Potter have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 82 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 6 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Silesian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
95 people named Potter is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
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).
In print
Potter in American newspapers,
1859–1917.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,066,374 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Potter,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Barnaby Potter 1577–1642 · Anglican priest -
Christopher Potter 1591–1646 -
Pieter Symonsz Potter 1597–1652 · painter -
Paulus Potter 1625–1654 · poet -
John Potter 1674–1747 · archbishop
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 175 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Potter.
When the index is not enough
This page says where Potter 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.