Surname Pecht - Meaning and Origin
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Pecht: What does the surname Pecht mean?
The last name Pecht is German in origin and is derived from an old Germanic word, "pecht," meaning "piece." The surname originally referred to a person who had acquired land or some other type of property, likely through the buying or selling of a piece of land. In later centuries, however, Pecht became a more general term for a person of any small-scale landholding. It is also possible that the name could have come from a person who earned a living through the trading of a small piece of merchandise.
The name Pecht is well represented in Germany, where it has been recorded since the 12th century. It is also common in other countries around the world where German-speaking people have emigrated. A notable bearer of the name was the explorer Hans Pecht, who in 1590 led an expedition along the eastern coast of South America, including the discovery of many islands in the waters now known as the Caribbean Sea.
It is unclear exactly how widely spread the Pecht name is today. It remains relatively popular in Germany and Austria, but is known to exist in other countries as well. Some members of the Pecht family are believed to have emigrated to the United States, as well as to South Africa and Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, the Pecht name may still exist in any of these countries, as well as in some parts of Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisPecht: Where does the name Pecht come from?
The last name Pecht is most prominently found in countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. In Switzerland, the percentage of people with the name Pecht is estimated to be 0.06%. In Germany, it is estimated to be 0.012%. As far as Austria, data shows that it is significantly rarer, with only an estimated 0.001% having the last name.
Pecht is also commonly found in the United States, with many immigrants from the previously mentioned countries taking the name with them to the United States. It is worth noting that the Pecht spelling is not necessarily common to all countries. For instance, the Pecht spelling is most commonly found in Germany while in the US, many families may have adopted variations like Peck, Pechet, or Peech.
In most cases, individuals who still carry the Pecht last name have some form of German ancestry. According to records, the Pecht surname originated in Germany as a variation of the ‘becht’ spelling and meaning ‘someone who replaces one of the same rank or standing.’ It can also refer to the location or region of Pecht, located in the Oberpfalz region in Bavaria.
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of people today who carry the Pecht last name, but data suggests that it is primarily found in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the United States.
Variations of the surname Pecht
The surname Pecht is of German origin and is derived from the Old High German word "peihha" meaning "little pot". It is a topographic name referring to someone living in a house by a pot-shaped hill or a metonymic occupational name for a potter. There are several variants and spellings of this surname including Becke, Bech, Becht, Bechte, Pech, Pechtl, Pechthold, Pekt, Pechtel, Bechet, Bect, Bectel, and Peck.
The variation Becke is derived from the Old High German word "pahhō" referring to a basket or beehive. Becke may also have also been the Low German variation of Pecht.
The variation Bech can be of various origins: it is either a topographic name for someone living by a beech tree, derived from the Middle High German word "bēche" meaning beech tree; a nickname for someone resembling a beech tree, derived from the Middle High German word "bēchelf" meaning physical stature of a beech tree; or a variant of the German surname Pecht.
The variations Becht, Bechte are derived from the Middle High German word "bechi" meaning shape or sensation.
The variations Pech, Pechtl, Pekt, Pechtel, Bechet, Bect, Bectel, and Peck are all derived from the Old High German word "peichha" meaning "little pot".
The spelling of this surname may vary depending on the region the surname is located in. Therefore, one should research their family history for other variations and spelling of the surname Pecht.
Famous people with the name Pecht
- Eric Pecht: American attorney and managing partner of Pryor Cashman LLP in New York.
- Ari Pecht: Former professional soccer player.
- Jakob Pecht: owner and founder of The Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy.
- Steven Pecht: American Music producer who has worked on soundtracks for movies including 'Patton' and 'The King and I'.
- Eric Pecht: American writer and journalist.
- Max Pecht: American radio broadcaster, producer, and engineer.
- Allen Pecht: American former tennis champion who won the National Senior Clay Court Tennis Championships in 2014.
- Barbara Pecht: was the first female president of the North American Jewish Federation.
- Thomas Pecht: American former professional football player.
- Yacov Pecht: Israeli former model who starred in numerous international fashion magazine campaigns.