Meaning and origin
The last name Winter originates from an ancient Germanic word "winter," meaning the season of cold and darkness. It is a topographic or occupational surname referring to someone who lived or worked during the winter months or in a place associated with this season. The name can also be traced back to the Old English word "wintre" or the Old Norse word "vitr," both denoting winter. Overall, the last name Winter has deep roots in Northern Europe and reflects the association of individuals with the season and its characteristics.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,119
Winter was the 1,119th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 31,310 people, about 11 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Winter
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Winter is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.