Surname Peat - Meaning and Origin
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Peat: What does the surname Peat mean?
The surname Peat is of Anglo-Saxon and Scottish origin and stems from a nickname given to an amicable or peaceful person. The name is derived from the Middle English word "pet", meaning "falcon", a symbol of peace in medieval times. The Scottish origin relates to the Gaelic term "peata", meaning pet. Therefore, the Peat surname may have initially been a name for a person who was cherished or loved, similar to a pet. Yet another origin could link the name to regions known for the production of peat, a type of fuel, suggesting an occupational background. It has several variations including Pett, Pate, Patt and Pitt. After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the use of surnames became more common to distinguish people who had transferred traditional names across generations. The first recorded spelling of the family name was Payte de Maleis in 1159 in the "Records of the Templars in England". Despite its origins, the name Peat is now found in several countries worldwide, mainly in Europe and North America.
Order DNA origin analysisPeat: Where does the name Peat come from?
The last name Peat is most commonly found in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, the name is most common in the states of New York, Michigan, California, Texas, and Illinois.
In England, research shows that only an estimated 0.004 percent of the population bears the surname Peat. The name in the United Kingdom is most found in the cities and counties of London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Essex, and Buckinghamshire.
In Australia, the last name is especially common in the state of Victoria. It is also found in other states such as New South Wales and Queensland. In Canada, the most frequent occurrences of the name are found in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
Research by Ancestry.com shows the name to be relatively infrequent in New Zealand, with only 31 people in the entire country bearing the last name of Peat. However, the majority of these Peat families are concentrated in the country's North Island, particularly in Auckland.
Variations of the surname Peat
Peat is a surname of Scottish, Irish, and English origin. It seems to have derived from a nickname for someone who had a jocular or mild personality, derived from the Middle English word "pet," meaning a pet animal or lap dog.
Variant spellings for Peat include Peatt, Peete, Peit, Peeat, and Peeit. It may also have been spelled Peatt, Peite, Peytie, Peytt, and Peattie.
Surnames that may have evolved from the Peat surname include Pett, Pettie, Petit, Pettitt, and Pillet. These all indicate that at one time, there was a single ancestor who had adopted the nickname Peat.
Other surnames that may be of a similar origin include Peard, Pearse, Pearce, and Pearsall. These surnames have been derived from the old English word "pere," meaning a pear tree.
In some cases, spelling variations of the Peat surname are due to regional dialects or archaic writing styles. For example, Peard is a variant spelling found in Scotland, while Peirce is a variant spelling found in Ireland. The same is true of Peart, which is a variant spelling found in Wales.
Variants of the Peat surname can be connected to many different countries, including Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales, France, and Germany. In general, any surname derived from 'pet' or 'pear' can be linked to the origin of the Peat surname.
Famous people with the name Peat
- Brian Peat: American actor most known for the 2018 Netflix film addressed to Christmas
- Lee Peat: English footballer
- David N. Peat: Canadian theoretical physicist
- Michael Peat: British civil servant and accountant
- Murray Peat: New Zealand politician
- Bob Peat: British darts player
- Jake Peat: American professional wakeboarder
- Pat Peat: British rugby union player
- Graeme Peat: English singer-songwriter
- Liam Peat: English football referee
- Victoria Peat: Canadian-American actress
- Roddy Peat: Scottish author
- Ben Peat: Australian composer
- Harry Peat: English sculptor
- Bruce Peat: Scottish jazz musician
- Stuart Peat: British illustrator and animator