Submitted Surnames Starting with P

usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Peia Italian
Village in Italy
Peik German
From Middle Low German pek ‘sharp, pointed tool or weapon’.
Peikert German
Probably an occupational name for a drummer.
Peil Estonian
Peil is an Estonian surname meaning "gage".
Peinado Spanish
Derived 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 English
From 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.
Peiris Sinhalese
Sinhalese form of Peres.
Peit Estonian
Peit is an Estonian surname meaning "concealed" and "hidden".
Peixoto Portuguese
Occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish, derived from Portuguese peixe meaning "fish".
Pejić Croatian, Serbian
Means "son of Pejo".
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
Pekarev Russian
Russian variation of the surname "Baker"
Pelagatti Italian
Probably derives from an old expression meaning "cheat, scoundrel", literally a combination of pela "to skin" and gatti "cats".
Pelayo Spanish
From the given name Pelayo.
Peled Jewish
Derived from Hebrew פלדה (plada) meaning "steel".
Pelekanos Greek
Means 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 Russian
Derived from dialectal Russian пелева (peleva) meaning "chaff, shuck". A notable bearer is Victor Pelevin, the Russian fiction writer.
Pelham English
From the name of a place in Hertfordshire, which meant "Peotla's homestead" in Old English.
Pelisaar Estonian
Pelisaar is an Estonian surname meaning "capstan/windlass island".
Pelissier French
From 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 Polish
Reduced pet form of the given name Świętopełk.
Pelka Jewish
Habitational name for someone from Pelki in Poland.
Pelkey French (Anglicized)
Anglicized version of French surnames Peltier and Pelltier.
Pelle Italian
From the Italian word pelle "skin".
Pelle Danish, German
From the personal name Pelle, a vernacular form of Peter.
Pelle German
From 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.
Pellegrin French
Unknown. Possibly a variant of Pellegrino. This surname was given to the Chilean named Raúl Alejandro Pellegrin Friedmann (1958-1988; nicknamed José Miguel).
Pellerin French
From Old French pellerin pelegrin "pilgrim" (from Latin peregrinus "traveler") applied as a nickname for a person who had been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land or to a famous holy site elsewhere... [more]
Pellicano Italian, Sicilian
nickname 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).
Pelliccia Italian
From Italian pelliccia "fur (of an animal)".
Pellicer Spanish
Spanish variant of Pelletier
Pello Estonian
Pello is an Estonian surname meaning "pipe-clip".
Pelosi Italian
Patronymic or plural form of Peloso.
Peloso Italian
Nickname for a man with long or unkempt hair and beard, from peloso "hairy", "shaggy".
Pelsmaker Dutch
Occupational name for a pelt maker, from Dutch pels "pelt, fur" and maker "maker"
Pelt Dutch
Shortened form of Van Pelt.
Pelter English
Derived 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.
Peltier French
Variant of Pelletier (from Old French pellet, a diminutive of pel "skin, hide").
Pelto Finnish
Translates to "field" from Finnish.
Pelton English
Habitational name from Pelton, a place in County Durham, named from an unattested Old English personal name Peola + tun 'farmstead', 'settlement'.
Peltz German, Jewish
Occupational name for a furrier, from Middle High German bellez, (modern German pelz) "fur", "animal skin".
Pelz German, Jewish
Variant of Peltz.
Pelzer German
Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative Middle High German bellez "fur".
Pema Tibetan, Bhutanese
From the given name Pema.
Pember English
From Paegna, a given name meaning "pagan", ber meaning "barley", or it's a variant of Pamber.
Pemberley English
From the given name Paegna, ber meaning "barley" and leah meaning "clearing".
Pemberly English
From the given name Paegna, ber meaning "barley" and leah meaning "clearing".
Pembroke Welsh
Habitual surname for someone from Pembroke, a town in Wales.
Pémonge French, Occitan
Meaning unknown.
Pen Chinese (Hakka, Rare)
Variant transcription of Chinese (Hakka) 冰 (see Ben 2).
Peñafiel Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
Peñaflorida Spanish (Philippines)
"flowery cliff" in Spanish
Penagos Cantabrian
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
Penaluna Cornish
A surname with somewhat uncertain origins, though many agree it is locational. Potentially from pen-lyn, the head of a pond or pool.
Peñalver Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Peñaranda Spanish
Habitational name from places in Burgos and Salamanca named Peñaranda.
Penchev m Bulgarian
Means "son of Pencho".
Pencheva f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Penchev.
Penda Wolof
Penda 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.
Penderwick American
A family in a book series by Jeanne Birdsall.
Pendlebury English
Likely originated from the area Pendlebury, in the Borough of Swindon and Pendlebury in Greater Manchester. Formed from the Celtic pen meaning "hill" and burh meaning "settlement".... [more]
Pendleton English
An Old English name meaning "overhanging settlement".
Pendragon English
From 'Pen Dragon' meaning head dragon or dragons head. This was the name of the king Uther Pendragon who was King Arthurs father
Pengelly Cornish
Habitational 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 Cornish
Originally meant "person from Penhaligon", Cornwall ("willow-tree hill"). It is borne by Susan Penhaligon (1950-), a British actress.
Peniston English
Denoted someone who came from the town of Penistone in South Yorkshire.
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.
Penkov m Bulgarian
Means "son of Penko".
Penkova f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Penkov.
Penley English
habitational 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"... [more]
Penman Scottish
Occupational 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 Italian
Possibly from Italian penna "feather, pen", a nickname for a scribe.
Pennant Celtic
Meaning, "Belonging to Pennant" (a common Welsh place-name).
Penney English
Variant of Penny.
Pennilope Spanish (Latin American)
Pennilope is a type of surname. It is a type of bike aswell it is almost like a tricycle with 2 sets of stabilisers.
Penning English, Dutch, Low German
From early Middle English penning, Low German penning, and Middle Dutch penninc, all meaning "penny". It was used as a topographic surname from the name of a field, or a nickname referring to tax dues of one penny.
Penning Upper German
Shortened form of Panno, which is a personal given name.
Pennington English
Habitational surname denoting someone originally from any of the various locations in England named Pennington, derived from Old English penning meaning "penny" (used as a byname or from a tribute due on the land) and tun meaning "town".
Penno Estonian
Penno is an Estonian surname derived from "penny"; from the German "pfennig".
Pennock Cornish, English
From the Cornish 'pennknegh', meaning "hilltop".
Pennybacker Low German
Pennybacker is an anglicized German surname for someone who worked making roof tiles or as a tiler.
Pennycuik Scottish
Originally meant "person from Penycuik", near Edinburgh (probably "hill frequented by cuckoos").
Pennyfield English (Rare, ?)
Probably derives from the two English words, 'Penny' and 'Field'.
Pennywell English
English habitational name from Pennywell in Tyne and Wear or from a similarly named lost place elsewhere.
Pennyworth English
From Old English pening, penig meaning "penny (the coin)" and worþ meaning "enclosure". A notable fictional bearer is Alfred Pennyworth, a DC Comics character notable for being the butler of the superhero Batman.
Penrose Cornish, Welsh
Originally meant "person from Penrose", Cornwall, Herefordshire and Wales ("highest part of the heath or moorland"). It is borne by the British mathematician Sir Roger Penrose (1931-).... [more]
Penry Welsh, Cornish, English
Derived from Welsh ap Henry meaning "son of Henry". It is also a variant of Pendray, which is derived from a place name in Cornwall meaning "top of the village" in Middle Cornish... [more]
Pensa Italian
Possibly from Italian pensa "think", indicating the bearer was known for being thoughtful or intelligent.
Pense French
Pense is, quite literally, a French word meaning "to think" or "thought", but is also a surname. Sometimes confused with the surname Pence, which is German.
Pent Estonian
Pent is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "pentsik" meaning "funny" and "eccentric".
Penwell English
English probably a variant of Pennywell.
People English
Possibly a variant of Pepall, a patronymic form of the given name Pepin. Alternatively, may be a habitational name.
Peoples Irish
An attempted English translation of Ó Duibhne, based on the Irish word daoine meaning "people".
Pepall English
Variant of People.
Pepe Italian
From the given name Giuseppe.
Pepi Italian
Derived from the given name Peppi 1.
Pépin French
From the Old French name Pepis, itself a form of the given name Pépin. Alternatively, it may be derived from French pépin meaning "(fruit) seed", thus making it an occupational name for a gardener or someone who grew fruit-bearing trees.
Pepin Russian
Means "son of Pepa".
Pepito Spanish (Philippines)
From the given name Pepito.
Peppe Italian
From a short form of the personal name Giuseppe.
Peppe German
From Peppo, a pet form of a Germanic personal name (see Pepin).
Pepys English
From the medieval personal name Pepis, a form of Old French Pepin, brought into England by the Normans. It may have been based on an earlier nickname meaning "awesome"... [more]
Pera Croatian
Derived from Pero. Also means "feathers".
Perales Spanish
Habitational name for someone from any of various locations named Perales, from Spanish perales meaning "pear trees" (the plural of peral meaning "pear tree").
Peralta Catalan, Spanish, Aragonese
Habitational name from any of the places in Aragon, Catalonia, and Navarre called Peralta, from Latin petra alta "high rock". This name is also established in Italy.
Perceval English, Norman
Derived from either the Old French given name Perceval, or from one of two places called Perceval in the department of Calvados in Normandy, France... [more]
Perche French
Derived from a former province of the south of Normandy, and extending into Orleanois.
Percher English
In textile mills, woven fabric coming off the mill / loom would pass over a frame, or rod, called a 'perch'. It was the job of the 'Percher' to examine the cloth for defects, and repair them when they were found... [more]
Percival English, Norman
Variant of Perceval, derived from the given name Percival.
Percy English
Either a nickname from Old French percehaie "pierce hedge" (Old French percer "to pierce, penetrate" and haie "hedge, fence"), perhaps with the sense of someone breaking into an enclosure... [more]
Perdikis Greek
A surname derived from the Greek word "πέρδικα", meaning partridge or grouse. It appeared first time in the Byzantine Empire during the 11th century.
Perdikogiannis Greek
Means "partridge John" in Greek, from πέρδικα (perdika) "partridge" combined with the given name Giannis.
Perdomo Spanish (Canarian)
From French (prud'homme) meaning "expert". This is the Spanish variant of Prudhomme.
Perdue English, Irish, French
English and Irish from Old French par Dieu ‘by God’, which was adopted in Middle English in a variety of more or less heavily altered forms. The surname represents a nickname from a favorite oath... [more]
Perea Basque
It indicates familial origin within the municipality of Aiara.
Peredo Galician, Portuguese
For Galicians, it indicates familial origin near the eponymous hill in the municipality of Castroverde and for Portuguese people, it indicates familial origin within the eponymous parish of the municipality of Macedo de Cavaleiros.
Peregrine English, Popular Culture
Derived from the given name Peregrine. A fictional bearer is Alma LeFay Peregrine, a character from the novel "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2011) by Ransom Riggs.
Pereire Breton (Latinized, Archaic)
This surname is the Gallic (Gaulish) origin and it means wild pear tree. There are also similar spellig in the Iberian Peninsula such as Pereiro, Pereyro, Pereiros, Perero and Pereros. These surnames (last names) correspond to families of the Celtiberian culture.
Pereiri Celtic (Latinized, Archaic)
Pereiri or Pereiro is a Galician surname in the north of Spain. It's a last name belonging to ancient Celtic tribes.
Pereiris Medieval Portuguese (Latinized, Rare, Archaic), Galician (Latinized, Rare, Archaic)
Pereiris (also known as Pereirus) is a last name of the Celtic roots (it's Galician and Portuguese). It meaning is will pear tree or pear tree and also european will pear tree. Pereiris comes from the translation of Welsh name and Cornish name Gellygen or Gellyg.
Pereiros Celtic (Latinized, Modern)
It is a last name that belongs to Celtic families. Its meaning is the will pear tree.
Pereiru Medieval Portuguese (Latinized, Rare, Archaic)
This is a Military Order (Knights Templar or the Order of Solomon's Temple) and it was founded by the Henrique de Borgonha, conde de Portucale (Henry, Count of Portugal) in the year 1090. It was then confirmed by Pope Alexandre III in the year 1177... [more]
Perello Catalan (Balearic), Catalan
Perello is a Catalan surname linked to regions like Catalonia and the Balearic Islands in Spain, often associated with "pear tree" or specific locations named Perello.
Perepelkin Russian
From perepel, meaning "quail".
Perera Sinhalese, Catalan
Sinhalese form of Pereira as well as a Catalan cognate.
Perero Medieval Spanish (Latinized, Archaic)
It appeared in Extremadura and it means pear tree. It's a family name belonging to the Celtiberian culture (Celtic families).
Peres Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Gascon, Breton, Central African
Means "son of Pedro" in Spanish and Portuguese. Means "son of Pere" in Catalan... [more]
Perese Gascon
Meaning the pear tree. It have a second meaning that is Son of Peter and it's a surname of the Christian inspiration. In Catalonia there is a derivative that is Parés (Variations: Pares, Parès, Parè and Pare).
Peress Breton (Latinized, Rare, Archaic)
It means Son of Peter (Pedro).
Peretti Italian
Patronymic from a pet form of the personal name Pero.
Peretz Jewish
From the given name Perez.
Perevodchik Russian
Means "translator" in Russian.
Perevozchik Russian, Belarusian
Means "carrier". It is a Russian last name, but it also present in Belarus.
Pereyro Galician
It's a Galician surname and it means apple tree.
Perham English
A variation of the English name Parham, based on the village of Parham (one in county Suffolk, another in county Sussex). From the Old English peru, meaning "pear" (the fruit), and ham, meaning "homestead".
Perhonen Finnish (Rare)
Means "butterfly" in Finnish.
Peričić Croatian
Patronymic, meaning "son of Perica".
Peries Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhalese පීරිස් (see Peiris).
Periz Gascon
Periz is a Gascon surname. It's a native of the region of Gascony (Guyenne). Its signification is Descendant of Peter (Also is The family of Peter). In the French languaje is Pierre. It's a surname of the Christian inspiration and alludes to St... [more]
Perkinson English
"Son of Perkin."
Perkiss English
Corruption of Perkins.
Perla Italian
From perla "pearl".
Perley English
Variant of Parley or Burley.
Perlman German
Occupational name for a person who makes or sells pearls.
Perlmutter Jewish
Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental name from German Perlmutter ‘mother-of-pearl'.
Perlstein Jewish
Ornamental name composed of German Perle ‘pearl’ + Stein ‘stone’.
Permana Hebrew
Permana is another form of Hebrew, namely Paramana (פרמנה) which means eternal.
Perminov Russian
Indicated a person from the Russian city of Perm, of Uralic origin meaning "faraway land".
Perna Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from the dialectic word perna "leg", denoting someone with a deformed or missing leg, or a variant of Perla.
Pernier Italian
A famous bearer is the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier (1874 - 1937), who discovered the mysterious Phaistos disc on the Greek island of Crete.
Perotti Italian
from the personal name Pietro.
Perović Serbian, Montenegrin
Patronymic, meaning "son of Pero".
Perovski Russian
I looked for the meaning of this name, but my searches almost always came up with "Perovskite, the mineral that named after the mineralogist" (there's also "Perovskia, the mint-plant named after a Russian General")... [more]
Perpich English (American)
Americanized spelling of Croatian and Serbian Prpić. Prporuše was a term denoting young girls who, in the dry season, would visit houses in the village and pray for rain.
Perre French (Rare), Jèrriais, Guernésiais
Derived from the given name Pierre.
Perri English
Variant of Perry 1.
Perrie Scottish
Scottish form of Perry 1 and Perry 2.
Perron Spanish
Spanish (Perrón) : probably from an augmentative of perro 'dog'.
Perron French (Quebec)
Probably a diminutive of Pierre.
Persad Indian, Trinidadian Creole
Indo-Trinidadian variant of Prasad.
Persakis Greek
Possibly related to περσικός (persikos), itself from the Ancient Greek Περσίς (Persís) meaning “Persia (today Iran)”.
Persaud Indian (Expatriate), South American, Caribbean
Indo-Guyanese form of Prasad. This is the most common surname in Guyana.
Persen Norwegian
Norwegian form of Persson.
Perseu Italian
Sardinian form of Perseo.
Persia Italian, Spanish
Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Persia (modern-day Iran) or some other country with Persian-speaking peoples or a nickname for someone who had visited or traded with one of these countries (see the given name Persis)... [more]
Peršin Croatian, Serbian
From Croatian peršin meaning "parsley," likely referring to a grower or seller.
Peršin Slovene
From given name Perše.
Perske Belarusian, Lithuanian, Jewish
Variant form of Persky. This was the real surname of American actress Lauren Bacall (1924-2014), who was born Betty Joan Perske.
Persky Belarusian, Lithuanian, Jewish
Derived from the village of Pershai in the Valozhyn District of Belarus, or the place named Perki in Lithuania.
Person English
Variant form of Parson.
Persoon Dutch, Flemish
Dutch cognate of Parsons.
Persopoulos Greek
Means "descendant of a Persian" in Greek.
Peru Basque
Derived from the given name Peru.
Peruničić Serbian
Patronymic, meaning "son of Perun". Perun was the Slavic god of lightning.
Peruško Croatian
Habitational name for someone from Peruški, Croatia.
Peruzzi Italian
From the given name Piero.
Perv Estonian
Perhaps a variant of Parve.