Fullmer
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly a variant of older names like Fillmer or Phillimore rather than a name with one settled meaning.
The #7,268 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,338 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname is not clearly explained in the excerpts, and the 19th-century sources seem to treat it as part of a cluster of similar-looking names rather than a firm standalone entry. One source groups Fullmer with forms such as Fillmer and Phillimore, suggesting a possible connection to an older Germanic personal-name element, but the exact pathway is uncertain. It may also reflect later spelling variation or simplification from a fuller surname form.
History
The name appears in historical surname lists as a comparatively rare form, with no clear separate tradition established in the excerpts. In English-speaking usage it is most likely a variant spelling that emerged from name-formation or spelling variation rather than from a widely documented medieval surname line. Modern bearers in the United States are relatively few, which fits that picture of a localized or later-regularized surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname was rare enough that 19th-century writers often discussed it only by comparison with better-known lookalike names.
From the historical record
“Fuller. See Fowler Fullerton. See Fullarton Fullmer. A loc. n., Bucks Fullwood. A loc. n., Lanes, Notts, Yorks Fulshaw. See Fullagar or Falshaw Fulton. See Fullerton”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (1st ed.)