Flutter Family History

for someone who lived by a stream or some other body of water from Middle English flote flout floit flute ‘stream river’ (Old English flot ‘a body of water’) + -(i)er a linguistic formation typical of Sussex and Surrey. Compare Floate.

The 1249 example below may alternatively belong under (2). perhaps for a flute-player from Middle English flouter (Old French flauteur fleusteor). See Floater for possible medieval early bearers.

However there is at present no evidence that definitely links the modern surname with this word.