Surname Paugh - Meaning and Origin
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Paugh: What does the surname Paugh mean?
The surname Paugh is of Anglo-Saxon origin and likely derives from a geographical or topographical feature of where the original bearers lived or owned land. It is believed predominantly to be a locational name from any of various places named with the Old English "pohha" or "pocca" meaning "bag" or "pouch". Common in topographical names, this likely refers to a piece of land shaped like a bag or pouch. The surname distribution data indicates the surname Paugh is most common in the United States, suggesting that it may have been carried over by settlers traveling to the US in its early days. It is quite a rare surname, and its spelling could have changed over the centuries due to illiteracy and the nature of the phonetic transcription. As with many surnames, the exact definitive meaning can be hard to determine given its ancient origins and potential changes over time.
Order DNA origin analysisPaugh: Where does the name Paugh come from?
The last name Paugh is of Scottish origin. It is now common throughout the entire United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the UK, Paugh is most commonly found in the counties of Lancashire and North Yorkshire. In Scotland, it is concentrated mainly in the regions of Dumfries and Galloway, Angus, and Ayrshire. In Northern Ireland, people with the surname Paugh tend to live in Antrim and Down.
In the US, the surname is more widespread, with the highest concentration of Paughs found in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. There are also large pockets of the population with the last name in California, Texas, and New York.
Canada has one of the highest instances of Paughs in the world. It is elevated in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
Australia has a sizable population of Paughs in the state of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Finally, in New Zealand, the province of Manawatu has the highest population of individuals with the surname Paugh.
In general, the surname continues to be quite common in English-speaking countries. Its popularity is still high in places where it originated such as Scotland and the UK, but it has spread to other regions around the world.
Variations of the surname Paugh
The surname Paugh has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Paugh is an anglicized spelling of the Irish and Scottish surname Páidh and is derived from the given name Padraig. The spelling of Padraig was sometimes Anglicized as "Patrick" which resulted in the surnames Padraig and Patrick.
In addition to the spelling variations of Paugh and Padraig, there are also multiple surnames with the same origins, including Paff, Pfaff, Paf, Paw, Pav, Pawe, Pau, Pauff, Pauph, and Pave. Each of these variations comes from the same root word and all descend from the Irish and Scottish name Padraig.
The pronunciation of the surname also varies according to dialect. Some of these pronunciations include "Poff," "Pawf," and "Pauhf." These pronunciations, however, remain phonetically similar and are still of the same origin.
Aside from the surname variations, Paugh is also sometimes used as an Americanized given name. This differs from its Irish and Scottish origins, as it is derived from a process of changes when names are passed down through generations.
Overall, Paugh is an anglicized spelling of the Irish and Scottish name Padraig, which has multiple variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Paff, Pfaff, Paf, Paw, Pav, Pawe, Pau, Pauff, Pauph, and Pave. The surname variations also have different pronunciations depending on dialect, including "Poff," "Pawf," and "Pauhf." Paugh is also sometimes used as an Americanized given name.
Famous people with the name Paugh
- Tank Paugh: Actor in Smallville, Rise of the Silver Surfer, Space Cowboys, and more
- Sidney Paugh: Hollywood Sound/producing engineer who has worked on projects for Beyonce, Zach Galifianakis, Foo Fighters, and more
- Brandon Paugh: American actor from Los Angeles seen in the movies Fatal Justice , The Saturday Night Special, and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
- Crystal Paugh: American singer and songwriter from Philadelphia
- Mikey Paugh: former country singer and songwriter
- Jerimiah Paugh: American actor seen in the movie Patchwork
- Michelle Paugh: British television actress best known for her role in Courting Alex
- Salina Paugh: American entrepreneur and author of The Power of Pleasantry: How Sweet These Words Can Change Your Life
- Darryl Paugh: American speedway motorcyclist and drag racer
- Jessica Paugh: American figure skater and former U.S. national bronze medalist