1858, "dish for skimming cream from milk," agent noun from cream (v.). As "a pitcher or small jug for cream at the table," by 1877.
Entries linking to creamer
cream v.
mid-15c., "to foam, to froth," from cream (n.). From 1610s in figurative sense of "remove the best part of." Meaning "to beat, thrash, wreck" is 1929, U.S. slang; the exact sense connection is unclear. There was a slang cream (v.) in the 1920s that meant "cheat, deceive, especially by guile." Related: Creamed; creaming.