The Poynter surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,229 people carried this name — #7,830 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 69,900 people counted. That is up 1% from 4,207 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Poynter surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a maker of cord.

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

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Vasse le Poynter, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Pointer, Poynter and Pointmaker.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 613 · public domain.

In print

Poynter in American newspapers,
1903.

Newspaper page from Vilas County News carrying the name Poynter
Vilas County News 1903-08-17
Newspaper page from Iowa County Democrat carrying the name Poynter
Iowa County Democrat 1903-08-13
Newspaper page from Vilas County News carrying the name Poynter
Vilas County News 1903-09-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 17,845 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Poynter in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

4,836 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Poynter. The most, 856, date from the 1930s. 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 Tasmania, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 1,616
Victoria 1,551
Tasmania 668
South Australia 488
Queensland 266
Western Australia 228
ACT (Canberra) 7

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

Who carried it

People named Poynter,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Poynter
    William Poynter 1762–1827 · Catholic priest
  • John Poynter
    John Poynter 1801–1868 · resident magistrate
  • Edward Poynter
    Edward Poynter 1836–1919 · artist
  • Agnes Poynter
    Agnes Poynter 1843–1906 · pianist
  • William B. Poynter d. 1954 · photographer
  • John Poynter 1600–1684

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 Poynter,
in the records of 6 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 States310 records

310 records of the Poynter name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 175
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 69
  • Other U.S. records 66
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph E. Poynter

    Born 1912 in Kansas. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco, California; filling station attendant. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1976, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Irsley Poynter

    Born 1916; from Downey, California. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1950 in Korea. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary A. Poynter

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the City of Brussels from Liverpool, aged 18; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 310 records for Poynter in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia161 records

161 records of the Poynter name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 90
  • Tasmanian Names Index 36
  • Other Australian records 35
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Peck Poynter

    Died 1847 in Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1848.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Joseph Poynter

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Royal George, arriving 1828; ticket of leave 1833.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Cornelius Gipps; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 161 records for Poynter 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) · 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); 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).

Canada11 records

11 records of the Poynter name in Canada
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 5
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 2
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Poynter

    Died 1941; buried at Brookside 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 Frederick William Poynter

    Buried in 1956 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Harold Cecil Poynter

    Died in service in 1916.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 11 records for Poynter in Canada.

Counts: City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · 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. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom9 records

9 records of the Poynter 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. F. Poynter

    Scots Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    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 H. Poynter

    Gunner, Grenadier Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

    London 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 3 of 9 records for Poynter 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).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Poynter name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Madalene Poynter

    Died 1993, aged 84; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Michelle Daphne Poynter

    Died 1990, aged 19; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough 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 E. Poynter

    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 7 records for Poynter in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough 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).

France2 records

2 records of the Poynter 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 Maurice Poynter

    Born 1933 in Luzy; died 1973 in Luzy (Nièvre).

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

    Born 1908 in Paris; died 1994 in Saint-Vallier (Saône-et-Loire).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Poynter.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Poynter 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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