Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Pávek m CzechDiminutive of
páv "peacock", hence a nickname for a pretentious or ostentatious person.
Pavelka CzechDerived from the given name Pavel. A famosu bearer is Jake Pavelka.
Pavese ItalianMeans "one from Pavia". Pavia is an Italian town located in Lombardy, northern Italy. It can also derive from
pavese, a kind of big, Medieval shield.... [
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Pavey EnglishEither (i) from the medieval female personal name
Pavia, perhaps from Old French
pavie "peach"; or (ii) "person from Pavia", Italy.
Paxson EnglishThis surname means "son of Pack." Pack may be a survival of the Old English personal name
Pacca or it may have been a Middle English personal name derived from
Paschalis (meaning "relating to Easter"), the Latin form of Pascal.
Payán SpanishPossibly derived from Mozarabic
päiên meaning "cave ravine", ultimately from Latin
pedem meaning "foot".
Paytas Hungarian, English (American)From the Hungarian nickname
pajtás meaning "comrade, pal". Possibly originates from the Ottoman Turkish word پایداش (paydaş) meaning "partner, sharer". A notable bearer of the surname is the American YouTuber Trisha Paytas.
Paznyak BelarusianMeans "late one", from Belarusian пазней (pazniej), meaning "late".
Pchyolkin RussianDerived from Russian пчёлка
(pchyolka), a diminutive of пчела
(pchela) meaning "bee". The founder of the surname may have been a beekeeper.
Peabody English, Popular CultureFrom a nickname for someone who was haughty or dressed ostentatiously, from Middle English
po "peacock, peafowl", and
bodi "body" (see
Peacock). Famous bearers of the name were American banker and philanthropist George Foster Peabody (1852-1932) and Mr... [
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Peach English (Rare)Derived from the name of the fruit, which itself derived its name from Late Latin persica, which came from older Latin malum persicum meaning "Persian fruit."
Peachy English (Anglicized)Means “lived near a peach tree, sold peaches, or was associated with the fruit in some other way”. Originally arrived with the in England after the Norman conquest of 1066.
Pearcy English (American)Variant of Percy, which is a name derived from Perci, a parish and canton near St. Lo, in Normandy
Pearks EnglishSir Stuart Edmond Pearks (1875–1931) served as the Chief Commissioner of the North-West Frontier Province of British India from 1930 until 1931. Sourced from Wikipedia.... [
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Pearl EnglishMetonymic occupational name for a trader in pearls, which in the Middle Ages were fashionable among the rich for the ornamentation of clothes, from Middle English, Old French
perle (Late Latin
perla).
Pearsall Englisha British surname of French origin derived from the pre-9th-century word "pourcel", which described a breeder of animals or a farmer
Pease EnglishEnglish: from Middle English pese ‘pea’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of peas, or a nickname for a small and insignificant person. The word was originally a collective singular (Old English peose, pise, from Latin pisa) from which the modern English vocabulary word pea is derived by folk etymology, the singular having been taken as a plural.
Pećanac SerbianHabitational name for someone from the village of Peći, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Pecchia ItalianMeans "bee" in Italian, probably a nickname for a hard-working or industrious person.
Pechman German"Pechman" means "man with bad luck" in many European languages (Polish, German, and Dutch predominantly), though in German, it originally referred to one who prepared, sold, or used pitch.
Pechtold German, Dutch, JewishFrom the Old German given name
Pechtholt, which is composed of the elements
pecht "rotation" and
holdt "hero". As a Dutch-language surname, it is derived from the Middle Dutch given name
Pechte combined with Old High German
walt "power, authority"... [
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Pecic AlbanianDerived from the name of the small town Peja (Pec) in western Kosovo. Most likely given to the inhabitants of the town and their descedents.
Pedraza SpanishRefers to the blow received from a stone thrown intentionally to wound someone.
Pedreira Portuguese, GalicianMeans "quarry, rocky place" in Portuguese and Galician, originally a habitational name from any of various places called Pedreira or A Pedreira.
Pedriks EstonianPedriks is an Estonian surname, a derivation of the names Frederick and Friedrich.
Pedrola AragoneseIt indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
Pedrosa Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, GalicianHabitational name from any of numerous places named Pedrosa, from pedroso, pedrosa meaning "stoney", an adjectival derivative of pedra meaning "stone".
Peebles Scottish, Spanish (?)Habitational name from places so named in Scotland. The place names are cognate with Welsh
pebyll "tent, pavilion".
Peele EnglishThis surname was given topographically to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. A famous bearer of this surname is actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director Jordan Peele.
Peep EstonianPeep is an Estonian surname (and masculine given name). Taken from the given name "Peep".
Peerna EstonianPeerna is an Estonian surname, possibly derived from the city of Pärnu in Pärnu County.
Peet EstonianPeet is an Estonian surname meaning "beetroot".
Peet DutchMeans "godparent, godchild" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch
pete meaning "godfather, godmother, godchild".
Peetersoo EstonianPeetersoo is an Estonian surname meaning "Peeter's swamp". However, it most likely derived from an Estonianization of the surname "Peterson" or "Peeterson".
Peetre EstonianPeetre is an Estonian surname; a variant of the masculine given name "Peeter".
Peevey Norman, EnglishMeans "a place with a fine view". Composed of the Old French roots
beu, which means "fair" and "lovely", and
voir, which means "to see".
Pehlivan TurkishMeans "wrestler, strongman" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian پهلوان
(pahlavân).
Peik GermanFrom Middle Low German
pek ‘sharp, pointed tool or weapon’.
Peinado SpanishDerived from
peinado meaning "combed" (past participle of
peinar meaning "to comb"), hence a nickname for a well-groomed person or for someone with naturally smooth rather than curly hair.
Peiper German (Austrian)Occupational name for a piper, from Middle High German
piper. In some cases it may be derived from Sorbian
pipar "pepper", thus being an occupational name for a spicer or a nickname for one with a fiery temper.
Peirce EnglishFrom the given name
Piers. A notable bearer was the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), who is considered to be one of the founders of pragmatism, along with William James and John Dewey.
Peit EstonianPeit is an Estonian surname meaning "concealed" and "hidden".
Peixoto PortugueseOccupational name for a fisherman or fish seller or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish, derived from Portuguese
peixe meaning "fish".
Pejović Serbian (Russified, Modern)Pejović is a Serbian surname. Mainly used in serbia. But also used in Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia
Pelagatti ItalianProbably derives from an old expression meaning "cheat, scoundrel", literally a combination of
pela "to skin" and
gatti "cats".
Peled JewishDerived from Hebrew פלדה
(plada) meaning "steel".
Pelekanos GreekMeans woodpecker" from Greek pelekanos "green woodpecker" (cognate with pelekan "pelican"; both come from pelekys "axe" the pelican because its beak is shaped like an axe the woodpecker because it uses its beak like an axe).
Pelevin RussianDerived from dialectal Russian пелева
(peleva) meaning "chaff, shuck". A notable bearer is Victor Pelevin, the Russian fiction writer.
Pelham EnglishFrom the name of a place in Hertfordshire, which meant "
Peotla's homestead" in Old English.
Pelisaar EstonianPelisaar is an Estonian surname meaning "capstan/windlass island".
Pelissier FrenchFrom Old French "Pelicier", (Meaning "Furrier", from an agent derivative of pelice, meaning "Fur cloak", from Late Latin "pellicia", from "pellis", meaning "skin fur". An occupational name of someone likely in the fur and hide trade.
Pelka JewishHabitational name for someone from Pelki in Poland.
Pelle ItalianMeans "skin, hide; leather" in Italian, an occupational name for a tanner, or a nickname for someone with notable skin.
Pelle GermanFrom Middle Low German
pelle "precious purple silk cloth", presumably an occupational name for a maker or seller of such cloth or for a maker of official and church vestments.
Pellicano Italian, Siciliannickname from dialect
pelecanò pelicanò "woodpecker" from modern Greek
pelekanos "green woodpecker" (cognate with
pelekan "pelican"; both come from
pelekys "axe" the pelican because its beak is shaped like an axe the woodpecker because it uses its beak like an axe).
Peloso ItalianMeans "hairy, shaggy, furry" in Italian, a nickname for someone with long or unkempt hair and beard, or with thick body hair.
Pelsmaker DutchOccupational name for a pelt maker, from Dutch
pels "pelt, fur" and
maker "maker"
Pelter EnglishDerived from Middle English
pellet "skin (of an animal, sheep)", an occupational name for someone who tanned or sold hides and pelts for a living. Compare French
Pelletier.
Pelton EnglishHabitational name from Pelton, a place in County Durham, named from an unattested Old English personal name Peola + tun 'farmstead', 'settlement'.
Peltz German, JewishOccupational name for a furrier, from Middle High German
bellez, (modern German
pelz) "fur", "animal skin".
Peluso m ItalianPeluso is a surname derived from the Italian word "peloso", meaning 'hairy' or 'furry,'
Pelzer GermanOccupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative Middle High German
bellez "fur".
Pember EnglishFrom
Paegna, a given name meaning "pagan",
ber meaning "barley", or it's a variant of
Pamber.
Pemberley EnglishFrom the given name
Paegna,
ber meaning "barley" and
leah meaning "clearing".
Pemberly EnglishFrom the given name
Paegna,
ber meaning "barley" and
leah meaning "clearing".
Pembroke WelshHabitual surname for someone from Pembroke, a town in Wales.
Peñafiel SpanishIt indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
Penaluna CornishA surname with somewhat uncertain origins, though many agree it is locational. Potentially from pen-lyn, the head of a pond or pool.
Peñalver SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Peñaranda SpanishHabitational name from places in Burgos and Salamanca named Peñaranda.
Penda WolofPenda stems from the Swahili “kupenda” = to love/like/be pleasant. Notable bearer was Fara Penda, a Waalo noble of the Wolof people in West Africa. Waalo was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in in what is now Senegal and Mauritania.
Pendarvis English (American)The American English spelling of the Cornish surname Pendarves. Ultimately, the surname is traced back to Pendarves Island, Cornwall.
Pendle EnglishHabitational name from a borough called Pendle in Lancashire, derived from Proto-Brythonic *
penn "head, top" and
hyll "hill".
Pendlebury EnglishHabitational name from the town called Pendlebury in Greater Manchester, derived from Pendle Hill (see
Pendle) and Old English
burg "fortress, fortification, citadel".
Pendleton EnglishHabitational name from any of the two villages in Lancashire called Pendleton, both derived from Pendle Hill (see
Pendle) and Old English
tun "enclosure, town".
Pendragon Welsh, Arthurian CycleFrom the title used by ancient British chiefs when called to lead other chiefs, derived from Old Welsh
penn "head, chief" and
dragon "dragon", used figuratively as "commander, war leader"... [
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Pengelly CornishHabitational name for someone from any of various locations in Cornwall named Pengelly, from Cornish
penn meaning "head, top, end" and
gelli or
gilly meaning "copse, grove".
Penhaligon CornishOriginally meant "person from Penhaligon", Cornwall ("willow-tree hill"). It is borne by Susan Penhaligon (1950-), a British actress.
Penis FilipinoPossibly derived from Spanish
pino "pine tree", or perhaps a nickname based on the English word for genitalia.
Penketh English (British)The surname Penketh was first found in Lancashire at Penketh, a township, in the chapelry of Great Sankey, parish of Prescot, union of Warrington, hundred of West Derby.
Penley Englishhabitational name from
Penleigh in Dilton Wiltshire. The place name probably derives from Old English
penn "fold enclosure" or perhaps Celtic
penn "head" and Old English
leah "wood woodland clearing"... [
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Penman ScottishOccupational name for someone who was a scribe, but could also be a habitational name derived from any place named with the British elements
penn "hill" and
maen "stone".
Penna ItalianPossibly from Italian
penna "feather, pen", a nickname for a scribe.