What Ancestry Does the Name Peters Come From?

"Peters" is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Peter." Alternate surname spellings that also mean "son of Peter" include (English) "Peter" or "Peterson," (Norse) "Petersen" or "Pederson," (Dutch/North German) "Pieters," (Welsh) "Perkins" or "Parkins"---literally "little Peter," (Scottish) "MacPheadair" and (Polish) "Pietrak."

What is a Patronymic

The patronymic form common today emerged in first half of the 14th century. The final "s" attached to the name is a shortened form of "son of." Thus, "William, son of Peter" became "William Peterson" or "William Peters." Other early surnames noted location or occupation.

Origin

"Peter," as a given name, derives from the Greek "petros" meaning "rock." In the New Testament, Jesus gives the disciple, Simon, a new name, Peter.

History

"Peters" was first recorded in England as a personal name in the Domesday Book of 1086. At that time, there were no surnames. It appears as a surname at the end of the 12th century, with the record of Ralph Peter in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1195.

Use as a Given Name

"Peter" as a first name is common in other cultures with different spellings, for example, "Piotr" in Polish, "Piero" or "Pietro" in Italian, "Pedro" in Spanish or "Pyotr" in Russian. There are many other variations including feminine versions such as "Pia" and "Petra."

Use as a Surname

As a surname, "Peters" in the United States is likely to be English or German.

Resources

• The Internet Surname Database
• Ancestry.com Learning Center