Carpenter is an occupational surname derived from the profession of carpenter. Within the United States, it ranked as the 231st-most common surname as of the 2010 census.U.S. Census Bureau; "Frequently Occurring Surnames From the 2010 Census: Top 1,000 Surnames"; published December 27, 2016; <https://www2.census.gov/topics/genealogy/2010surnames/Names_2010Census_Top1000.xlsx>
Origin The Carpenter surname has roots in the Anglo-Norman French introduced into England about the time of the Norman conquest of England of 1066. The earliest attested use as a surname in English is from 1121,Online Etymology Dictionary by Douglas Harper, 2001–2010, accessed April 13, 2010. though its use as a secondary name or description in the Domesday Book of 1086 might have precedence. It came into common use in Middle English circa 1275–1325.
In Old French, the surname was commonly written as "Carpentier" and its earlier form as "Charpentier". Its use as a surname may have derived as a nickname or description of one's occupation circa 900–1000.Combined from several sources including: Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 1996 by Barnes & Noble Books, and Concise Oxford Dictionary – 10th Edition by Oxford University Press.
People A Aaron Carpenter (disambiguation) Albert J. Carpenter (1911–1999), US Coast Guard rear admiral Alan Carpenter (born 1957), Australian politician Alex Carpenter (born 1994), American ice hockey player Alexander Carpenter (), English author of the Destructorium viciorum, a religious work Alfred Carpenter (1881–1955), British naval officer, vice-admiral and Victoria Cross recipient Allan Carpenter (1917–2003), American non-fiction writer Allie May "A.M." Carpenter (1887–1978), artist and art educator Almeria Carpenter (1752–1809), British courtier and mistress of Prince William Henry Amanda Carpenter (born 1982), American author and columnist for The Washington Times Andrew Carpenter (disambiguation) Arthur Carpenter (disambiguation) Audrey T. Carpenter (born 1935), British biographer Aurelius O. Carpenter (1836–1919), American photographer, writer and abolitionist
B B. Platt Carpenter (1837–1921), governor of Montana Territory Benajah Carpenter (1748–1776), founding member of the US Army Field Artillery Corps Benjamin Carpenter (1725–1804), leader of colonial Vermont, Revolutionary War colonel, and lieutenant governor Benjamin Carpenter (British Army officer) (c. 1713/14–1788), British army officer Bill Carpenter (born 1937), American football player and army officer Bob or Bobby Carpenter (disambiguation) Boyden Carpenter (1909–1995), American hillbilly and bluegrass musician Brian Carpenter (disambiguation)
C Cameron Carpenter (born 1981), American organist Candi Carpenter (fl. 2010s), American country music singer-songwriter Carleton Carpenter (1926–2022), American actor, magician, author, and songwriter Catherine "Kate" Carpenter (c. 1730s–1784), Virginia pioneer for whom Kate's Mountain is named Cecelia Svinth Carpenter (1924–2010), historian of the Nisqually people Chad Carpenter (born c. 1968), American cartoonist Charisma Carpenter (born 1970), American actress Charles Carpenter (disambiguation) Chris Carpenter (disambiguation) Christina Carpenter (fl. 1329–1332), English anchoress Christine Carpenter (disambiguation) Christopher Carpenter (disambiguation) Clarence Ray Carpenter (1905–1975), American primatologist Claude E. Carpenter (1904–1976), American set decorator Cliff Carpenter (1915–2014), American actor Connie Carpenter-Phinney (born 1957), née Carpenter, American bicycle racer and speed skater Constance Carpenter (1904–1992), English-born American film and musical theatre actor Coy Cornelius Carpenter (1900–1971), physician and dean of the School of Medicine of Wake Forest University Cyrus C. Carpenter (1829–1898), Civil War veteran, Republican governor of Iowa, U.S. Representative from Iowa
D Dan Carpenter (born 1985), American football placekicker Daniel C. Carpenter (1816–1866), American law enforcement officer and police inspector of the New York Police Department Daniel Carpenter (political scientist), American political scientist and writer David Aaron Carpenter, American violist Davis Carpenter (1799–1878), American politician Delphus E. Carpenter (1877–1951), American state senator and water rights lawyer Don Carpenter (1931–1995), American writer Don Carpenter (fl. 1960s), electrical engineer, discoverer of the plasmasphere Donald Carpenter (disambiguation) Doug Carpenter (born 1942), hockey coach Drew Carpenter (born 1985), American baseball pitcher Dudley Newcomb Carpenter (1874–1955), doctor, US Navy officer, writer
E Earl Carpenter (disambiguation) Earl Carpenter (actor) (born 1970), English musical theatre actor Earl Carpenter (politician) (1894–1963), American politician from Nebraska Ed Carpenter (disambiguation) Edmund Carpenter (disambiguation) Edward Carpenter (priest) (1910–1998), Anglican priest and author Edwin Francis Carpenter (1898–1963), American astronomer Elbert L. Carpenter (1862–1945), lumberman who helped organize the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, namesake of Elbert L. Carpenter House Ellen Maria Carpenter (1830–1908), American painter Ellie Carpenter (born 2000), Australian footballer Elisabeth Carpenter Satterthwait (born 1856), née Carpenter, author Eliza Carpenter (1851–1924), early African-American race horse owner Elizabeth Carpenter (born 1953), American writer, designer, and game developer Ensley A. Carpenter (c. 1819–before 1910), doctor for whom the town of Carpenter, Kentucky, was named Ernie Carpenter (1907–1997), West Virginia fiddle player Estlin Carpenter (1844–1927), English Unitarian minister, the principal and then president of Manchester College, Oxford, expert in Sanskrit and a pioneer in the study of comparative religion
F Fanny Hallock Carpenter (1854–1939), American lawyer and clubwoman Flavius Josephus Carpenter (1851–1933), Arkansas veteran of the Civil War, steamboat captain, and entrepreneur Florence Carpenter Dieudonné (1850–1927), née Carpenter, early science fiction and fantasy writer Frances Carpenter (1890–1972), American photographer and author Francis Carpenter (disambiguation) Frank G. Carpenter (1855–1924), 1920s travel guide author Frank M. Carpenter (1902–1994), paleoentomologist Franklin B. Carpenter (1818–1862), American lumber merchant and politician Franklin Metcalfe Carpenter (1847–1907), Canadian farmer and politician Franklin R. Carpenter (1848–1910), American mining engineer French Carpenter (1899–1965), West Virginia fiddle player
G Gail Carpenter (born 1948), American cognitive scientist, neuroscientist, and mathematician Geoffrey Douglas Hale Carpenter (1882–1953), British entomologist and evolutionary biologist George Carpenter (disambiguation) Gordon Carpenter (1919–1988), American basketball player Grace Carpenter Hudson (1865–1937), American painter Grant Carpenter (1865–1936), American newspaperman, lawyer, and writer Guy Carpenter (1869–1935), founder of Guy Carpenter, a global risk and reinsurance specialist
H Harlean Carpenter, better known as Jean Harlow (1911–1937), American film actor Harriet Frances Carpenter (1868/75–1956), American educator and writer Harry Carpenter (disambiguation) Helen Knipe Carpenter (1881–1959), illustrator and writer Henry Carpenter (disambiguation) Herbert Carpenter (1869–1933), English cricketer Hermon P. Carpenter (1877–1958), early Florida educator Hick Carpenter (1855–1937), American Major League Baseball third baseman Holly Carpenter (born 1991), Miss Ireland 2011 Horace B. Carpenter (1875–1945), American actor, director, and screenwriter Horace Thompson Carpenter (1857–1947), artist and illustrator Horace Carpenter (priest) (1887–1965), British priest Humphrey Carpenter (1946–2005), English biographer, author and radio broadcaster
I Imogen Carpenter (born Mary Imogene Carpenter; 1912–1993), American musician and actress Iris Carpenter (c. 1904–1997), British journalist Isaac Carpenter (disambiguation)
J J. D. Carpenter (born 1948), Canadian poet and crime novelist J. L. Carpenter (1839–1919), American politician J. R. Carpenter (born 1972), Canadian artist, writer, and performer Jack Carpenter (American football) (1923–2005), American football player Jake Burton Carpenter (1954–2019), owner of Burton Snowboards James Carpenter (disambiguation) Jay Hall Carpenter (born 1961), sculptor Jean Anne Carpenter, also known as Jean Carnahan (born 1933), American politician and writer Jeanne Carpenter (1917–1994), American child actor of the silent era Jeff Carpenter (fl. 2000s–2010s), Native American musician Jennifer Carpenter (fl. 1990s–2020s), American actor Joel Carpenter, pseudonym of Arnold Manoff (1914–1965), American screenwriter John Carpenter (disambiguation) Joseph Carpenter (disambiguation) Jot D. Carpenter (1938–2000), American landscape architect Joyce Carpenter (1923−2016), New Zealand diver Juliet Winters Carpenter (1948–2026), American translator of modern Japanese literature into English Julius Angelo Carpenter (1827–1880), American manufacturer and politician Justin Carpenter (fl. 2010s), video game developer who made Harms Way
K Karen Carpenter (1950–1983), singer and musician, half of The Carpenters Kathleen E. Carpenter (1891–1970), British freshwater ecologist Katie Carpenter (fl. 2010s–2020s), American actress, costume designer, and film producer Keion Carpenter (1977–2016), American football defensive back Keith Carpenter (born 1941), Canadian tennis player Ken Carpenter (disambiguation) Kent E. Carpenter (fl. 1970s–2010s), professor of biological sciences Kerry Carpenter (born 1997), American baseball player Kip Carpenter (born 1979), American speed skater Kyle Carpenter (born 1989), US Marine Corps soldier, Medal of Honor recipient
L Lant Carpenter (1780–1840), English educator and Unitarian minister Larry Carpenter (born 1948), American soap opera director Lauren Carpenter, New York violinist, sister of David Aaron Carpenter Lea Carpenter (fl. 2000s–2010s), American writer and editor Lemuel Carpenter (c. 1808–1859), Anglo-American California pioneer Leonard Carpenter (born 1948), technical writer and author of fantasy and science fiction Leonard Carpenter (rower) (1902–1994), American Olympic rower Lester Carpenter (born 1970), American politician Levi D. Carpenter (1802–1856), American politician Lew or Lewis Carpenter (disambiguation) Liz Carpenter (1920–2010), feminist writer, reporter, and public relations expert Loren Carpenter (1947–2025), American computer graphics researcher and developer Louis Carpenter (disambiguation) Louisa d'Andelot Carpenter (1907–1976), du Pont heiress, socialite, and aviator Lucy Carpenter (born 1969), British chemist Lyn Carpenter (born 1965), English netball administrator and former player
M Mackenzie Carpenter, American musician Maggie Carpenter (disambiguation) Malinda Carpenter (fl. 1990s–2020s), Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, child development psychology researcher Margaret Carpenter (born 1950), American politician Margaret Sarah Carpenter (1793–1872), British artist Margaret Seymour Carpenter (1893–1987), novelist Marion Carpenter (1920–2002), White House news photographer Marion Carpenter Yazdi (1902–1996), Bahá'í writer Marnee Carpenter (born 1990), American actress Mary Carpenter (1807–1877), English educational and social reformer Mary Chapin Carpenter (born 1958), country music singer-songwriter Mary P. Carpenter (c. 1840–c. 1905), American inventor Matt Carpenter (baseball) (born 1985), Major League Baseball third baseman Matt Carpenter (runner) (born 1964), American trail runner Matthew H. Carpenter (1824–1881), 19th century Republican Senator for Wisconsin Melanie Carpenter (1971–1995), abducted and murdered Canadian woman