Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Pinsker German, PrussianHabitational name from any of several places named near Posen (Polish Poznan) and in West Prussia.
Pinson FrenchFrom Old French
pinson "finch" a nickname applied to someone who whistles or sings like a finch or to a bright and cheerful person.
Pionke German, PolishGermanized form of Slavic Pinoek, which is a nickname from pionek ‘puppet’.
Piórkowski PolishHabitational name from places called Piórkowo in Toruń voivodeship or Piórków in Tarnobrzeg voivodeship.
Piovasco Italian, LiteratureMeans "shower, brief fall of rain" in Italian, from Italian
piovere or
piova, both meaning "rain" with an added suffix. Cosimo Piovasco di Rondò is the protagonist in the Italian novel
The Baron in the Trees by
Italo Calvino, who inherited this surname from his father,
Arminio Piovasco.
Piqué CatalanA famous bearer of this surname is Spanish/Catalan footballer Gerard Piqué.
Piquet FrenchOccupational name for someone who dealt with picks from a diminutive of
pic ''pick, pickax''.
Pirhadi PersianEither from Persian پیر
(pir) meaning "old" combined with
Hadi or from the name of the Persian village of Pirhadi.
Piri PersianDerived from Persian پیر
(pir) meaning "old, aged".
Pironkov BulgarianA professional Bulgarian tennis player, Tsvetana Pironkova, bears this surname.
Pirovano ItalianProbably from a place in Lombardy, itself possibly deriving from Ancient Greek
πυρο- (
pyro-) "fire" and
-γενής (
-genes) "born of".
Pirrup Popular CultureVariant of the surname
Pirrip. It is the last name of the British character, Pip, on the animated TV series South Park
Pirzadeh PersianMeans "born of the pir", from the Persian title پیر
(pir) denoting a Sufi spiritual guide (literally meaning "elder, old"). This name was traditionally used by owners or custodians of Sufi mausoleums and shrines.
Pisa ItalianHabitational name from the city of Pisa in Tuscany. The city was probably founded by Greek colonists, but before coming under Roman control it was in the hands of the Etruscans, who probably gave it its name... [
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Piscopo ItalianFrom a reduced form of
episcopo "bishop" (Greek
episkopos "bishop", literally "overseer"), hence a metonymic occupational name for someone in the service of a bishop, or perhaps a nickname for a pompous person.
Pişkin TurkishMeans "brazen, bold-faced" or "mature, hardened" in Turkish.
Pisoni Italianpatronymic "from Pisone", from a derivative of
Piso, from Latin pisum "pea"
Pisula Polish, LithuanianInformal nickname for a scribe or clerk, from a derivative of Polish pisać ‘to write’.
Pita SpanishSpanish and Portuguese: from Spanish, Portuguese pita ‘chicken’ or in some cases possibly from the plant pita ‘pita’, ‘American aloe’, presumably a topographic name.
Pitcher English, GermanFrom an agent derivative of Middle English
pich ‘pitch’, hence an occupational name for a caulker, one who sealed the seams of ships or barrels with pitch. English variant of
Pickard... [
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Pitka EstonianPitka is an Estonian surname meanin "tall" or "long".
Pitsenbarger GermanProbably an altered spelling of
Bezzenberger, which is derived from
Boizenburg, a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
Pittendrigh ScottishFrom various place names possibly derived from
pett "holding farm" and
drech "face, countenance (of a hill)".
Pittler FrenchA surname which originally belonged to a person who lived by a pit or hollow. Meaning "King of the Pit" or "King of the Hollow".
Piu Chinese1 Chinese 牛: this name probably arose during the Zhou dynasty ( 1122–221 bc ) in the area of Gansu province; the details are unclear. It was borne by a person named Niu Wen, who was a descendant of the eldest brother of the last king of the Shang dynasty, Zhou Xin ( 1154–1123 bc ).... [
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Pivec CzechNickname for a drinker, from pivo meaning ‘beer’.
Pivonka CzechCzech word for peony. Also given as a nickname meaning one with rosy cheeks
Pizzuto ItalianItalian surname derived from a nickname meaning ‘malicious’.
Place EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived in or near the main market square.
Plain Frenchfrom Old French
plain an adjective meaning "flat" and a noun meaning "plain" hence a topographic name denoting e.g. a dwelling on a flat terrain.
Plantagenet Medieval English, Medieval FrenchBorne by the House of Plantagenet, a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. It also originated as a nickname for Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (1113-1151), father of King Henry II of England (1133-1189), who ascended the English throne in 1154... [
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Plantz English (American)Deriving from England. "Men known as a
Planter was an English term for people who were "planted" abroad in order to promote a political, religious cause or for colonization purposes." ... [
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Plas DutchMeans "pool, pond, puddle" in Dutch.
Plass GermanFrom Middle Low German
plas meaning "place, open square, street". Can also derive from a medieval form of the given name
Blasius.
Plasschaert FlemishProbably derived from Middle Dutch
plasch "puddle, pool of water" and the suffix
-aert.
Plata SpanishHabitational name from places in Toledo and Cáceres provinces named Plata, or various places named La Plata.
Platini ItalianOccupational name for a person who coats objects with platinum, derived from Italian
platinare literally meaning "to platinize, to coat with platinum". A notable bearer is the former French soccer star Michel Platini (1955-).
Playfair EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for an enthusiastic competitor in sports and games (from Middle English
pleyfere "companion in play, playmate"), or else a different form of
Playford (from a Suffolk place-name meaning "ford where sports are held")... [
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Pleasance EnglishEither (i) from the medieval female personal name
Plaisance, literally "pleasantness"; or (ii) "person from Piacenza", Italy (from Latin
Placentia, literally "pleasing things").
Pleasant AmericanMeans being a very bright man in the near future. Also can be used as a alias.
Plettinck FlemishPatronymic form of names beginning with the Germanic element
blad meaning "blade" or "leaf".
Plevneliev BulgarianFrom the Bulgarian name for the Greek village of Petroussa (called Plevnya in Bulgarian), itself derived from Bulgarian плевня
(plevnya) meaning "barn". A notable bearer is Bulgarian president
Rosen Plevneliev (1964-).
Pliev Ingush (Russified), Ossetian (Russified)Russified form of an Ingush and Ossetian name, which is derived from the name of an Ingush teip (clan). The name itself comes from
Plievo, the name of a village in Ingushetia, which means "village of the sons of Pkhile", referring to a given name possibly derived from Ossetian пыл
(pyl) meaning "elephant".
Plimsoll French (Acadian)I don't know the meaning, but it is my maiden name, and I understand it to be French. Samuel Plimsoll is my ancestor. He was born in Bristol, UK. He was an MP who spoke up in parliament and subsequently the Plimsoll or loading line was introduced on ships... [
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Plotnikov RussianMeans "son of the carpenter" from Russian плотник
(plotnik) "carpenter".
Plouffe FrenchAltered form of
Blouf, which is no longer found in France. It's meaning is unknown.
Ploumides GreekDescendant or son of the ornamented, from the Latin word 'pluma', for ornament.
Plum English, GermanFrom Old Germanic
*plūmā "plum", used as a topographic name for someone who lived by a plum tree, a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold plums, or perhaps a nickname referring to a plum-coloured birthmark.
Plum EnglishFrom Old French
plomb "lead (metal)", a metonymic occupational name for a plumber, or someone who dealt in lead.
Plumer German, English, DutchNorth German (Plümer) and English: variant of
Plum, the suffix -er denoting habitation or occupation. Altered form of South German
Pflümer, an occupational name for a grower or seller of plums, from an agent derivative of Middle High German pflume ‘plum’... [
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Plumier French, BelgianPossibly an occupational name for a dealer in feathers and quills, from an agent derivative of Old French
plume "feather, plume" (compare English and Dutch
Plumer)... [
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Plumley EnglishMeaning "plum-tree wood or clearing" from the Old English words
plume and
leah.
Plummer English1. Occupational name for a worker in lead, especially a maker of lead pipes and conduits, from Anglo-Norman French plom(m)er, plum(m)er ‘plumber’, from plom(b), plum(b) ‘lead’ (Latin plumbum)... [
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Plumtree EnglishFrom any of the locations called Plumtree for anyone who lived near a plum tree derived from Old English
plume "plum" and
treow "tree".
Plunket EnglishEither an occupational name for someone who sold plunket, a "coarse white woollen cloth", or a location in France with the name Planquette or Planquenet.
Pniewski Polish, JewishHabitational name for someone from Pniewy in the district of Poznań, or from any of the many places in Poland named Pniewo.
Po ItalianDerived from
Po the longest river in Italy (651,8 km). It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps across the regions: Piemonte, Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto... [
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Pobanz GermanNickname for a braggart or bogeyman, of uncertain Slavic origin.
Pobedonostsev m RussianDerived from Russian
победоносный (
pobedonósnyj) meaning "victorious, triumphant". Konstantin Pobedonostsev (1827-1907) was a Russian jurist and statesman who served as an adviser to three Russian emperors.
Pobjoy EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a parrot, from Middle English
papejai,
popinjay "parrot". This probably denoted someone who was talkative or who dressed in bright colours, although it may have described a person who excelled at the medieval sport of pole archery, i.e. shooting at a wooden parrot on a pole.
Podbielski PolishHabitational name for someone from a place called Podbielsko in Konin voivodeship.
Podda ItalianFrom Sardinian
podda "flour", or
pudda "chicken".
Podriznik SloveneFrom the article of clothing of the same name worn by priests, possibly denoting a maker of them or perhaps a relative of a clergyman.
Poe EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for a vain or flamboyantly dressed person (from Old Norse
pá "peacock"). American author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was a famous bearer.
Poehler GermanGerman (Westphalian): topographic name for someone who lived by a muddy pool, from an agent noun derived from Middle Low
pol ‘(muddy) pool’.
Pogonowski PolishThis indicates familial origin within either of 2 Lesser Polish villages.
Poh GermanFrom a dialect word for standard German Pfau ‘peacok’, a nickname for a vain person or for someone with a strutting gait.
Põhjala EstonianPõhjala is an Estonian surname meaning "the North" and "Northern area" as well as "Norse".
Pohla EstonianPohla is an Estonian surname derived from "pohl" ("lingonberry").
Põim EstonianPõim is an Estonian surname derived from "põimima" ("enlace" or "entwine")' loosely meaning "weaver".
Pointe FrenchDerivation of the name is from the pre 10th century Old French "pointe" meaning a sharp or pointed end, and ultimately from the Latin "puncta", to pierce.
Poisson FrenchPoisson is the French word for fish, and was given to one who was a fishmonger, fisherman, or could be a nickname for one who had the appearance similar to a fish.
Poitier FrenchEvidently an altered spelling of
Pothier. A famous bearer of this surname was the Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier (1927-2022).
Pol DutchFrom Middle Dutch
pol "tussock, grassy hill; area of raised ground in a fen".
Poland English, German, French (Anglicized), Irish (Anglicized)English and German name is derived from the Middle High German
Polan, which means "Poland". The surname originally signified a person with Polish connections.This French surname originated from an occupational name of a poultry breeder, or from a fearful person; it is derived from the Old French
poule, which means "chicken".In other cases, particularly in Ireland, the English Poland is a variant of Polin,which is in turn an Anglicised form of the original Gaelic spelling of
Mac Póilín, which translated from Irish means "son of little Paul"... [
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Polat TurkishMeans "steel" in Persian. Many Turkish Oghuz descendants are using this surname.
Põldmäe EstonianPõldmäe is an Estonian surname meaning "field hill/mountain".
Põldoja EstonianPõldoja is an Estonian surname meaning "field stream/creek".
Polgar HungarianHungarian word for citizen. Taken on by Jewish Hungarians during World War Two to avoid Nazi attention for having 'Jewish' last names.
Polhem Swedish (Rare)Derived from
Polhammar, itself of uncertain origin. A notable bearer was Swedish scientist and inventor Christopher Polhem (1661-1751).