Potter Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Potter Family

8,977 Potter records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

8,977Records in our database

1817Earliest birth

2Documented families

3Biographies

See the Potter family trees →563 Potter families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

8,977 Potter records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (2,039 of 8,977)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: John F. Potter, born 1817, Wisconsin

Most common first names

William201 Mary177 Robert172 John166 James165 Charles129 George110 Ruth93 Donald90 Harold86 Margaret84 Helen79

Documented families

Potter families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The Potter family of Greene CountyMissouriStarts: Henry D. Potter and Nancy (Myra) Potter (b. 1810)Most recent: Ambrose Potter (b. 1886)

Family records from county histories (1)

Daniel Potter 1808 to 1885Clinton County, IowaStarts: Daniel Potter (b. 1808), from VermontMost recent: Harvey H. Potter

The earliest Potters in the county histories

Emery D. PotterBorn 1804, Providence CountyChild of Abraham PotterLucas County, Ohio Israel PotterBorn 1806Delaware County, Ohio Aaron PotterBorn 1809Butler County, Ohio John T. PotterBorn 1811Daviess County, Indiana David PotterBorn 1811Morrow County, Ohio S. T. PotterBorn 1833, Patrick countySaline County, Missouri

Family trees from the public record

563 Potter families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

35 Potter death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

39 Potter people in 30 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (3)

Nicholas PotterBorn 1834 · Greene County, Missouri Ambrose PotterBorn 1858 · Greene County, Missouri James Elmer PotterBorn 1875 · Greene County, Missouri

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Potter family

Found your Potter? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Potter genealogy: FAQ

Where were Potter ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 8,977 Potter records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (2,039), then Michigan (1,107) and Illinois (1,036).

How far back does the Potter family tree go?

The earliest Potter birth in our database is 1817: John F. Potter, Wisconsin. We have pieced together 563 Potter family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Potter family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Potter family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.