What Does "Comptroller" Mean?

You have to go back to the 15th century to find the origin of the word "comptroller," which means "financial officer." Interestingly, "comptroller" has also often been erroneously associated with the French word compte, which translates as "calculation."

A recent survey found a slight majority who prefer to say "comptroller" - with emphasis on the "p" - but almost half still use the old English pronunciation, "controller." Take your pick.

Nine other states, mostly eastern, use "comptroller" and four use "controller." Texas has a "Comptroller of Public Accounts" and South Carolina has a "Comptroller General." The rest use versions of treasurer or auditor, while two don't appear to have any financial officer with a title. Alaska has a "Commissioner of Administration." Maryland's 1851 Constitution calls for the "Comptroller of the Treasury" to "superintend fiscal affairs...for the support of the public credit."