POULTER
The surname Poulter is a distinctly English in‑family name, originating as an occupational designation for a poultry dealer or keeper. From Middle English pulter, meaning a poulterer or poultry seller, the name reflected the trade of dealing in chickens, turkeys and other fowl. Over time, the designation evolved into a hereditary surname, passed from one generation to the next.
Although it is often characterised as purely English, the name has a Norman French provenance. After the Conquest of 1066, the term pouletier – derived from Old French poule, chicken, and ultimately from Latin pulla, young bird – entered the English language. The surname appeared in medieval records as le Puleter and le Poltur, indicating a person engaged in the poultry trade.
Early evidence of the name is found in the Surrey Curia Rolls of 1222, where the surname appears as Aunger le Poltur. In the first half of the thirteenth century, individuals such as Osbert le Puleter (1230, Shropshire) and Gilbert Poleter (1234, Oxfordshire) are recorded, suggesting the name was already well established in the regions of England.
The medieval test document known as “Cocke Lorelle's Bote” refers to “drovers, cokes, and pulters,” situating the Poulter surname among a group of tradesmen of the era and providing further context for its occupational origin.
By the early sixteenth century the surname spread across Britain. One William Poulter married Alice Belley in London in 1621, giving a glimpse of domestic life amongst bearers of the name. The Poulter family also took part in the early colonisation of America; Thomas Poulter, aged thirty-one, left London aboard the ship David in September 1635, bound for Virginia.
In modern times, the surname remains firmly rooted in England, with bearers found throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. Its enduring presence in historical documents and migration records highlights the continuity of this occupational name from medieval times to the present day.
Typical given names associated with the Poulter surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Alison
- Elizabeth
- Gillian
- Helen
- Jane
- Joan
- Julie
- Linda
- Louise
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Poulter in...
Braille
⠏⠕⠥⠇⠞⠑⠗
Morse
.--.---..-.-..-..-.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Poulter are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Hobnob.
There are approximately 4,781 people named Poulter in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,972nd most common surname in Britain. Around 73 in a million people in Britain are named Poulter.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Poulter
- Will Poulter - Actor
- Ian Poulter - Golfer
- Dan Poulter - Conservative Party politician; Member of Parliament for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich; physician
- Arthur Poulter - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1893 to 1956)
- Stephen Poulter - Cricketer
- Steven Poulter - Bicycle racer
- Stephen Poulter - Swimmer, Olympic athlete
- Horatio Poulter - Sport shooter (1877 to 1963)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.