Schlueter
A German surname usually from a word meaning “lock” or “bolt,” often pointing to someone who made, used, or lived by a lock or fastening.
The #7,238 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,002 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Schlueter is a German surname, most likely connected with Middle Low German and German words related to a lock, bolt, or closing device, such as "Schlüssel"-type forms in older regional usage. In surname formation, this kind of root often produced names for someone who made locks, dealt with keys or fastenings, or was otherwise associated with closing mechanisms. The spelling with -ue- reflects German orthography for ü, so the name is also seen as Schlüter in German contexts.
History
The name is especially associated with northern Germany, where Low German forms were common in surnames. Like many German occupational names, it later spread through migration to other German-speaking and immigrant communities abroad, including the United States. In English-language records, the umlaut is often replaced by "ue," giving Schlueter.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The spelling Schlueter often represents the same surname as Schlüter, with "ue" used in place of the German umlaut ü.
From the historical record
“Schlucht 372. Schlüsser 630. Schlueter 630. *Schluis 520. Schluisweg 342, *520. Schlus 630. Schmächtig 184. Schmal 597.”
— Die Personennamen, insbesondere die Familiennamen