Surname Pastors - Meaning and Origin
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Pastors: What does the surname Pastors mean?
The last name Pastors is of Germanic or Dutch origin. It is derived from the Latin word "pastor" which means shepherd or leader. This name likely originated as a surname given to people associated with shepherding or religious activities. In German, the word also translates to mean "pastors," "priests," or "ministers."
Historically, the Pastors family served as religious leaders throughout Europe, typically among German-speaking populations. Due to their close association with the church, it is likely they began using this surname to distinguish themselves within their own communities.
Pastors is also an occupational surname, referring to those individuals responsible for spiritual guidance and guarding over a flock. Sheep shearing - and thus, the production of wool - was an important source of livelihood in rural Germany during the Middle Ages, and the term “pastor” served as a marker to distinguish shepherds from other members of their community.
Today, the Pastors family may be found not only in Germany, but around the world. In the US, the Pastors family is known as “Pattersons” in Scotland, the last name is “Pasters,” and throughout the rest of Europe, it’s “Pasturi” or “Pastor”. It is a surname which remains a symbol of spirituality, leadership, and the sacredness of caring for a flock.
Order DNA origin analysisPastors: Where does the name Pastors come from?
The last name Pastors is most commonly found in Europe by countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. The last name is typically of Latin origin and is believed to have originated from the name for a shepherd or pastor. It is thought to be loosely connected to the verb 'pastorare' and references the role of a shepherd who takes care of and leads the flock.
In the Netherlands the name is particularly common around Rosmalen and is known to have been present since at least the 17th century. In nearby Belgium, the name is related to the pastoral traditions of the Catholic church and is particularly common around the city of Antwerp.
Elsewhere in Europe, especially in the Latin speaking countries, the last name is still quite common. It can often be found in places where shepherding is or was traditionally a common occupation. This could explain why it is particularly popular in places such as Italy, Spain, and France.
In the United States, the last name is much less common. In 2014, the US Census data estimated that there were fewer than 1,000 people with that surname - almost all of them of European descent. Despite its relatively low numbers, the presence of the name in the US dates back to the early 1900s when immigrants from the respective countries started to move across the Atlantic.
Variations of the surname Pastors
The surname Pastors has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Pástor (Portuguese) is the most common variant of the name. Other Portuguese variants include Paster and Pásteres. The Spanish variant of the name is Pastor, while the Catalan variant is Pastors. The Galician variant is Pastores.
In French, variations and spellings of the surname include Pasteur, Pastor, Pástor. In Italian, Pastore is the most likely variant of Pastors.
Regional variations and alternate spellings of the surnames include Pasteris, Pastore, Pasteria, Pastorn, Pastorne, Pasterina, Pasteurina.
Variants of the German spelling include Paster, Päster, Pästor, and Pästere, and in Dutch, Pastoors.
Other surnames of similar origins include Pastorius (German), Pasterczyk (Polish or Czech), Piastor (Polish), Pastorova (Czech), Pastorova (Slovak), Pastorkó (Hungarian), Pastorik (Slovak), Pastorjak (Croatian) and Pastorok (Hungarian). It is also sometimes spelled Pasturus.
In some cases, the surnames have been changed or corrupted to Paston, Patriarca, Paterson, and Patrycki.
Famous people with the name Pastors
- Dr. Aixa Alfonso Pastors: Spanish politician and former Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality.
- Maria Pastors: Dutch business leader, entrepreneur and founder of the international media group “Global Print Partner”.
- Joan completed her training with Odette Pastors: famous Spanish chef.
- John Pastors: American Pop-opera Tenor singer
- August Pastors: German Bundesliga footballer
- Catherine Pastors: American children's author
- Donald Pastors: Dutch sculptor who works with all kinds of materials
- Richard Pastors: French producer of animated TV series
- Mitch Pastors: American painter, illustrator and cartoonist
- Hayo Pastors: Dutch-African jazz vocalist and songwriter.