Palmer is an occupational surname of English and Scottish origin. Notable people with the surname include:
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 (1929–2016), 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
Ephraim Laurence Palmer (1888–1970), American science educator and conservationist
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 Josiah Palmer (1828–1892), British newspaper founder.
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)
Jolyon Palmer, British racing driver, son of Jonathan Palmer
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
Katherine Van Winkle Palmer (1895–1982), American paleontologist
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 (musician) (1892–1963), American jazz trombonist
Roy Palmer (cricketer) (born 1942), English cricketer
Roy Palmer (folklorist) (1932–2015), singer, teacher, folklorist, author and historian
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
Tim Palmer (physicist) (born 1952)
Tom G. Palmer (born 1956), American libertarian
Tom P. Palmer, English rugby player
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
