Painter Family History

English: from Middle English peintour painter peintir penter pointour (Old French peintour paintour) ‘painter of images (on walls, screens, shields, etc.), colorist (of statues, figurines, chests, etc.), artist’. In the Middle Ages, the walls of both great and minor churches were covered with painted decorations, and Reaney and Wilson note that in 1308 Hugh le Peyntour and Peter the Pavier were employed ‘making and painting the pavement’ at Saint Stephen's Chapel, Westminster.

The name is widespread in England. Americanized form of German Bender. Compare Bainter. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Pajntar or Panjtar, topographic names from the field name Pajnta or Na Pajnti, which is derived from Middle High German biunt(e) ‘fenced agricultural land’ (compare German Paintner).

Or perhaps from Bavarian Middle High German pant ‘band’ (compare Panter). In some cases also an American shortened form (or a very rare German variant) of South German Paintner, a cognate of 3 above.