'autobiographer' originates from Greek-derived elements, specifically from New Latin/Greek 'autobiographia' where 'auto-' meant 'self', 'bios' meant 'life' and 'graphein' meant 'to write'.

'autobiographer' developed from the New Latin/Middle French formation 'autobiograph-' (from 'autobiographia') and entered English as the agent-form built on 'autobiography' + English agent suffix '-er', becoming the modern English 'autobiographer'.

Initially it referred to a writer of an account of their own life ('one who writes an autobiography'); over time the meaning has remained essentially the same, referring specifically to people who write their own life stories.