Rutter
An occupational surname for a rider, trooper, or horseman, and possibly in some cases for a player of the rote, a medieval stringed instrument.
The #4,890 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,852 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The main explanation in the historical sources is occupational: Rutter is linked to Dutch ruiter, meaning a trooper or horseman, and to related Germanic forms used for a rider. Some writers also connected it with Middle English rotour, a player of the rote, a bowed string instrument; that word is ultimately tied to older Celtic and Germanic musical terms. The surname may therefore have developed from more than one nickname or job description, depending on place and family.
History
The name appears in medieval and early modern records, especially in English sources. Bardsley suggests some bearers may have been associated with the East coast through the Dutch form Rutterkin, while Harrison notes early modern spellings with a diminutive ending. The surname later produced variants and related forms such as Rutterford and the corruption Rudder.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One historical explanation links Rutter to the same word-family as the Dutch cavalryman term ruiter, so the surname may originally have meant something like “horseman” or “trooper.”
From the historical record
“(occ.) 2 the Red Lea [O.E. redd + ledh] RUTTER I lilie Rautep (q.v.), from the Dut. ruiter, ' trboper,' ' horseman.' Found in Early Mod. E. also with the L.Ger, dim. suff. -kin. 2 the M.E. rotour = Rote-Player [f. M.E. O.Fr, rote, a musicsal instrument (a kind of fiddle) ; O.H.Ger. h)rota, a rote ; app. of Celt…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)