Show ContentsMinter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Minter family

The surname Minter was first found in Cornwall where the family derive their name from Minster, a parish in the deanery of Trigg-Minor, and in the hundred of Lesnewth.

"The word Minster whatever might have been its primitive signification, has been used from time immemorial to import a monastry for Monks, a retired, solitary, religious people, who used artificial music during divine service. Consonant with this import, it appears both from Speed and Dugdale, that at Tolcarne, which signifies the rock chapel or cell, William de Bottreaux about the time of Richard I. founded and endowed an alien priory of black Monks," 1

Early History of the Minter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Minter research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1455, 1487, 1575 and 1610 are included under the topic Early Minter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Minter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Minster, Minsterchamber and others.

Early Notables of the Minter family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Mintern family of Dorest

Minter Ranking

In the United States, the name Minter is the 3,018th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 2


United States Minter migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Minter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Desire Minter, aged 20, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 aboard the ship "Mayflower", returned to England in poor health and died 3
  • Jon Minter, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
  • Richard Minter, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
  • David Minter, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 3
  • Grace Minter, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Minter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Fredk Minter, aged 22, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 3

Australia Minter migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Minter Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Eleanor Minter, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Brothers" in 1850 4
  • Henry Minter, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Blundell" in 1851 5

New Zealand Minter migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Minter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Minter, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cairngorm" in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Minter (post 1700) +

  • Kelly Jo Minter (b. 1966), American actress
  • General Billy Martin Minter (1926-2005), American Air Force officer, former deputy commander in chief, United States Air Forces in Europe
  • Barry Antoine Minter (b. 1970), American former NFL football linebacker who played from 1993 to 2001
  • Cedric Alwyn Minter (b. 1958), American former professional CFL football player, recipient of the 1981 Frank M. Gibson Trophy
  • Kristin Minter (b. 1965), American actress
  • James Kirby Minter (1929-2009), American gold medalist basketball player at the 1954 World Championships
  • Mary Miles Minter (1902-1984), born Juliet Reilly, an American actress who appeared in 54 silent era pictures from 1912 to 1923
  • John R. Minter, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Johannesburg, 1921-22; U.S. Consul in Breslau, 1926; Bahia, 1927 6
  • Gary Minter, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from North Carolina 2nd District, 2002 6
  • E. C. Minter, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for West Virginia State Senate 7th District, 1928 6
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BROTHERS 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Brothers.htm
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BLUNDELL 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Blundell.htm
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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