Proctor
An occupational surname for a proctor or procurator—an agent, attorney, or official who acted on another person’s behalf.
The #977 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 8,664 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Proctor comes from Middle English proctour/prok(e)tour, an office title meaning an agent or legal representative. The word goes back through Anglo-French to Latin procurator, from procurare, “to take care of” or “manage.” In surname use, it originally described someone who worked as a proctor, attorney, administrator, or similar representative.
History
The name is recorded in medieval English sources, including a 14th-century Yorks poll-tax form as Willelmus Proktour. It appears in several spellings, including Procter, Prookter, and Prockter, reflecting the lack of fixed spelling in earlier English. The surname spread in England and later became established in the wider English-speaking world.
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Fun fact
In older English usage, a proctor could be a church-court official, not just a university or legal representative.
From the historical record
“PROCTER ' contr. of procuratour; O.Fr. PROCTOR J procurator, Lat. procurator, manager, agent, administrator] For I make Piers the Plowman My procuratour and my reve.- — Piers Plowman, 13471-2. Willelmus Proktour. — Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)