Palmer (surname)

Palmer
Family name
Meaning	a pilgrim to the Holy Land, named from the palm worn to signify the journey
Region of origin	England
Footnotes: Frequency Comparison: [1]

Palmer is an occupational surname of English origin.^[1] Notable people with the surname include:

• Tim Palmer (1970-), Mayorman of Ithaca, Michigan
• Abiah W. Palmer (1835–1881), New York politician
• Adele Palmer (1915-2008), American costume designer
• Adidja Palmer, the Jamaican DJ Vybz Kartel
• Adrian Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer
• Alan Palmer, an author of historical and biographical books
• Alexander Mitchell Palmer, (1872–1936), American politician, Attorney General of the US 1919–1921
• Alfred Brian Palmer MBE, DSC, (1899–1993), Royal Navy Reserve captain
• Alice Freeman Palmer, (1855–1902), American educator
• Amanda Palmer (born 1976), American singer and pianist
• Amanda Palmer (journalist), Australian journalist
• Amy Palmer (born 1975), American hammer thrower
• Arnold Palmer (born 1929), American golfer
• Austin Norman Palmer (1860–1927), American author of the Palmer Method of penmanship
• B. J. Palmer (1882–1961), American chiropractor
• Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland (1640–1709), English mistress of King Charles II
• Benjamin M. Palmer (1818–1902), American theologian and church leader
• Bertha Palmer (1849–1918), American businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist
• Beth Palmer (born 1952), American bridge player
• Betsy Palmer (1926-2015), American actress
• Billy Palmer (born 1888), English footballer
• Brecken Palmer (born 1998), only son of Kansas descendants
• Bruce Palmer (1946–2004), Canadian folk-rock musician
• Bruce Palmer, Jr. (1913–2000), American army general
• Bruce Palmer (basketball), American-born international basketball coach
• Carl Palmer (born 1950), English musician of the trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• Carlton Palmer (born 1965), English footballer
• Carson Palmer (born 1979), American professional football player
• Sir Charles Palmer, 1st Baronet (1822–1907), British shipbuilder and Liberal MP
• Charles Palmer (cricketer) (1919–2005), English county and test cricketer and cricket administrator
• Charles Stuart William Palmer (1930–2001), British Judoka (10th Dan)
• Clive Palmer (businessman) (born 1954), Australian mining magnate
• Clive Palmer (musician) (born 1943), British folk musician
• Corky Palmer (born 1954), American college baseball coach
• Daniel David Palmer (1845–1913), Canadian-American chiropractor
• Dee Palmer (born 1937), British musician with the rock band Jethro Tull
• Diana Palmer (author) (born 1946), American best-selling author of romantic novels
• Donald Palmer is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the College of Marin in Kentfield
• Earl Palmer (born 1924), American rock-and-roll drummer
• Edmund Palmer, C.B. (Captain) (1781–1834) Royal Navy officer
• Edward Palmer (Canadian politician) (1809–1889), Canadian politician from Prince Edward Island
• Edward Palmer (botanist) (1829–1911), English botanist
• Edward Palmer (socialist) (1802–1886), American utopian socialist
• Edward Henry Palmer (1840–1882), English orientalist
• Elihu Palmer (1794–1806), American ex-Baptist minister and author
• Erastus Dow Palmer (1817–1904), American sculptor
• Ernest Palmer (American cinematographer) (1885–1978), Hollywood cinematographer
• Ernest Palmer (British cinematographer) (1901–1964), British cinematographer
• Ernest Palmer, 1st Baron Palmer (1858–1948), British businessman and patron of music
• Felicity Palmer (born 1944), English operatic soprano
• Floyd Palmer, business man and founder of Palmer Bus Service
• Francis W. Palmer (1827–1907), American publisher and politician
• Frank R. Palmer (born 1922), British linguist, Professor Emeritus of Linguistic Science at the University of Reading
• Frederick Palmer (engineer) (born 1860), British civil engineer
• Frederick Palmer (journalist) (1873–1958), American writer and war correspondent
• Frederick Christian Palmer (1866–1941), photographer
• Frederick William Palmer (1891–1955), World War I Victoria Cross recipient
• Frederick William J. Palmer (1864–1947), British engineer
• Garrick Palmer (born 1933), British painter, wood engraver and photographer
• Geoffrey Palmer (actor) (born 1927), English comedy actor
• Geoffrey Palmer (politician) (born 1942), Prime Minister of New Zealand 1989–1990
• George Hastings Palmer (born 1881), politician of Manitoba, Canada
• George Herbert Palmer (1842–1933), American author and philosopher
• George Llewellen Palmer (1857–1932), British Conservative Party politician
• George Palmer (businessman) (1818–1897), Quaker entrepreneur and biscuit manufacturer of Reading, England
• George Palmer (color theorist) (c.1746–1826), aka George Giros de Gentilly, English dye chemist, color theorist, inventor, and soldier
• George "Joey" Palmer (1859–1910), Australian cricketer
• George Palmer (composer) (born 1947), Australian classical composer and judge of the NSW Supreme Court
• George Palmer (rugby league) rugby league footballer of the 1950s, for Batley and England
• George William Palmer (England) (1851–1913), politician
• George William Palmer (New York) (1818–1916), politician
• Gordon William Nottage Palmer, younger son of Ernest Palmer, 2nd Baron Palmer
• Harold E. Palmer (1887–1949), linguist, phonetician, founder of IRLT
• Harry Palmer (author) (born 1944), American founder of the Avatar self-development system
• Harry Palmer (photographer) (born 1930), Canadian photographer
• Helen Palmer (archer) (born 1974), British archer, 2004 Olympics contestant
• Helen Palmer (publisher) (1917–1979), Australian publisher, educationalist, author, historian
• Helen Palmer Geisel (1899–1967), author and wife of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
• Henry Spencer Palmer (1838–1893), British army military engineer and surveyor
• Herbert Edward Palmer (1880–1961), English poet and critic
• Herbert James Palmer (1851–1939), Canadian politician from Prince Edward Island
• Innis N. Palmer (1824–1900), United States Civil War general
• James Shedden Palmer (1810–1867), American admiral in the US Navy during the Civil War
• Jared Palmer (born 1971), American professional tennis player
• Jesse Palmer (born 1978), Canadian professional football player
• Jim Palmer (born 1945), American professional baseball player
• Joel Palmer (1810–1881), Canadian-born American pioneer and politician
• John Palmer (disambiguation)
• Jonathan Palmer (born 1956), British race-car driver and racing commentator
• Jonathan Palmer (American football) (born 1983), American professional football player
• Joseph B. Palmer (1825–1890), Confederate general
• June Palmer (1940–2004), British model
• Kate Palmer (netball), Chief Executive Officer of Netball Australia
• Keke Palmer (born 1993), American actress
• Ken Palmer (born 1937), British Test cricketer and cricket umpire
• Leonard Robert Palmer (1906–1984) British philologist and linguist
• Les Palmer (American football) (1923–2006), American football player
• Lilli Palmer (1914–1986), German-American actress
• Lowell Palmer (born 1947), American baseball player
• Mark Palmer (born 1941), American statesman, former ambassador to Hungary
• Michael Palmer (born 1943), American poet and translator
• Michael Palmer (conductor) (born 1945), American orchestral conductor
• Michael Palmer (novelist) (born 1942), American novelist
• Missy Palmer, voice actor
• N. A. Palmer, guitarist for anarcho-punk band Crass
• Nathaniel Palmer (1799–1877), American sailor, ship design innovator, first American to see Antarctica
• Nettie Palmer (1885–1964), Australian literary figure
• Nick Palmer (born 1950), British politician and member of parliament
• Olive Palmer (1902–1976), second wife of John Diefenbaker, 13th Prime Minister of Canada
• Orio Palmer, Battalion Chief of NYC Fire Department who died trying to rescue occupants of World Trade Center on 9/11
• Parker Palmer (born 1939), American author, educator and activist
• Patricia Palmer (born 1955), Argentine actress
• Patricia Palmer, alias of the American actress Margaret Gibson
• Patsy Palmer (born 1972), English actress - real name Julie Anne Harris
• Pete Palmer, American baseball statistician
• Phoebe Palmer (1807–1874), American Methodist evangelist and writer
• Potter Palmer (1826–1902), American businessman and real estate developer in Chicago, Illinois
• Raymond A. Palmer (1910–1977), American science fiction writer
• Richard Palmer (disambiguation)
• Rissi Palmer, American country singer / songwriter
• R. E. A. Palmer, Robert E. A. Palmer II, (1933–2006) American ancient historian
• Robert Roswell Palmer (1909–2002), American historian
• Robert Palmer (singer) (1949–2003), English singer
• Robert Palmer (writer) (1945–1977), American writer and musician
• Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine (1634–1705), Irish earl, husband of Barbara Villiers Palmer
• Roger Palmer (footballer) (born 1959), English ex-footballer
• Romie J. Palmer (1921-2014), American politician and jurist
• Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne (1812–1895), British politician
• Roy Palmer (born 1942), British cricketer and Test cricket umpire
• Ryan Palmer (born 1976), American professional golfer
• Ryan Palmer (chess player) (born 1974), Jamaican chess champion and teacher
• Samuel Palmer (1805–1881), English landscape painter
• Sandra Palmer (born 1943), American professional golfer
• Shaun Palmer (born 1968), professional snowboarder
• Shelly Palmer, American composer of television music
• Stanley Palmer, American academic
• Stanley Palmer (New Zealand), artist
• Stephen Palmer (disambiguation)
• Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (born 1971), British TV personality, model and pianist
• Theodore Sherman Palmer (1868–1955), American zoologist
• Tim Palmer, British music producer, audio engineer and musician
• Tom G. Palmer (born 1956), American libertarian
• Vance Palmer (1885–1959), Australian literary figure
• Vincent Palmer (1966–2004), British criminal
• Walter Palmer (disambiguation)
• William Palmer (murderer) (1824–1856), English physician and murderer
• William Jackson Palmer (1836–1909), American industrialist and general in the American Civil War
• William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne (1859–1942), British politician

Fictional characters

• Palmer, a character in Final Fantasy VII
• Palmer, in the movie The Thing (1982)
• Annie Palmer, on the BBC soap opera EastEnders
• Chili Palmer, in Elmore Leonard's novels Get Shorty and Be Cool
• Cecil Gershwin Palmer, protagonist in the podcast "Welcome to Night Vale"
• David Palmer (24 character), President of the United States in the television series 24
• Deacon Palmer, on the American television series The King of Queens
• Diana Palmer (The Phantom), in the American comic strip The Phantom
• George Palmer (EastEnders), on the BBC soap opera EastEnders
• Harry Palmer, British spy in films based on spy novels by Len Deighton
• Jimmy Palmer, on the American television series NCIS
• Kelly Palmer, on the American television series The King of Queens
• Laura Palmer, pivotal murder victim on the television series "Twin Peaks"
• Leland Palmer, Laura's father on "Twin Peaks"
• Meredith Palmer, on the television series "The Office"
• Raymond Palmer, real name of the Atom (Ray Palmer) in DC Comics
• Sandra Palmer (24 character), on the television series 24
• Sarah Palmer, wife of Leland Palmer on "Twin Peaks"
• Sherry Palmer, wife of David Palmer on the television series 24
• Wayne Palmer, brother of David Palmer on the television series 24
• Commander Sarah Palmer, SPARTAN IV character from the HALO 4 video game.

References

1. "Palmer Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2014