Painter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Andrew Painter (disambiguation)
• Curtis Painter (born 1985), American footballer
• David Painter (disambiguation)
• Erle V. Painter, (1881–1968), American chiropractic, athletic trainer of the New York Yankees
• Gamaliel Painter (1742–1819), American politician
• George Painter (1914–2005), British author and biographer of Marcel Proust
• Ian Painter (born 1964), English footballer
• Joe Painter (born 1965), British geographer & academic
• John Painter (cricketer) (1856–1900), English cricketer
• John Painter (supercentenarian) (1888–2001), American soldier & long survivor
• John Mark Painter (born 1967), American musician
• Kenneth Painter (1935–2016), British archaeologist
• Kevin Painter (born 1967), British darts player
• Kristin Painter, American novelist
• Lance Painter (born 1967), British baseball coach
• Marcos Painter (born 1986), English footballer
• Matt Painter (born 1970), American basketball coach
• Oskar Painter, Canadian physicist
• Patrick Paniter or Painter (c.1470–1519), Scottish courtier
• Patrick Painter (born 1954) American art dealer
• Robbie Painter (born 1971), English footballer
• Roy Painter (born c. 1930), British politician
• Shankar Painter (1946–2020), Indian poet
• Sidney Painter (1902–1960), American medievalist
• Stetson Painter, Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
• Temple Painter (1933–2016), American harpsichordist and organist
• Theophilus Painter (1889–1969), American zoologist
• Uriah Hunt Painter (1837–1900), American journalist
• William Hunt Painter (1835–1910), English botanist
• William Painter (author) (c. 1540–1594), English author
• William Painter (inventor) (1838–1906), American