TheNameDBPorter
OccupationalMeaning
A person who carries goods or baggage, or a gatekeeper of a fortified building.
Etymology
From Old French 'portier,' derived from Latin 'porta,' meaning gate or door. The surname denoted those who carried merchandise or guarded entrances to castles, monasteries, and other important structures.
About the Porter Surname
Porter was a widespread occupational surname for laborers who transported goods and for gatekeepers of fortified structures. The profession was essential in medieval commerce and security, making it a frequently occurring hereditary surname.
Distribution
Common throughout England and extensively distributed in North America, Australia, and other former British colonies.