Surname Pecke - Meaning and Origin
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Pecke: What does the surname Pecke mean?
The surname Pecke is of German, Dutch and Polish origin. It is a patronymic surname derived from the personal name Pecke, a diminutive form of the personal name Peter. The meaning of Peter is "rock". So a literal meaning of the surname Pecke would be "son of Peter".
The Pecke surname is most common in Germany and is often found in western and southwestern German states such as Bavaria, Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg. It is less common in Poland and the Netherlands.
The name Pecke is thought to have originally been a toponymic surname, meaning that it was derived from the name of a village or place. The implication is that the original bearer of the name was a native or dweller at such a place. In Germany, the name Pecke is associated with the village of the same name in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is also associated with the village of Peckelsheim in Bavaria.
The origin of the name Pecke may also be occupational, referring to a paddle operator or the German word pocke meaning “basket”. It could also refer to the occupation of a ferrier, someone who produces or repairs buckets, pails and other vessels.
Overall, the surname Pecke is thought to have derived from the personal name Peter and may have originally been a toponymic or occupational surname. It has associations with several places in Germany, most notably North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.
Order DNA origin analysisPecke: Where does the name Pecke come from?
The last name Pecke is most commonly found in Central and Western Europe, primarily in the countries of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It is estimated that there are currently over 13,000 people who carry the Pecke last name in these three countries alone.
In Germany, particularly in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Pecke last name is especially common. This can be attributed to the presence of the large city of Dortmund, located in the Ruhr region. The city has a long industrial past, which is thought to have helped spread the Pecke last name throughout so much of the region.
In the Netherlands, the name Pecke is most heavily concentrated in the Netherlands province of Groningen. With a population of almost 602,000 inhabitants, Groningen is the largest province in the country and the second-most populated after the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.
The Pecke last name is also common in Belgium, with the largest cluster of the name being found in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region in the northern part of the country.
Overall, the surname Pecke is most prevalently found in Central and Western Europe; particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. However, due to migration and emigration, the last name can be found all over the world today.
Variations of the surname Pecke
The surname Pecke has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Pecks, Peke, Pek, Peak, Pik, Peck and Pekk. Other variants include Peche, Pich, Pecche, Piché, Pecqué, Packe, Pache, Breke, Breck, Brekele and even Peugeot.
The earliest records of this surname date back to 1086 in England when it originated as a nickname for someone who often pecked at fruits, nuts, and other food. At that time, the spelling of the surname was Peck as this was an Old English word for someone who pecked.
The variant spellings ofPecke can be seen as early as 1200 when a family in Somerset was listed as Pik. In 1202, a family was listed as Peche in Norfolk.
In Germany, the name was spelled Pecke, Peck, Pecks, and Pillke. The name Packe is a popular version in Germany and the Netherlands. It is also common in Luxembourg, France, Italy, and the Czech Republic.
The surname is also popular in the United States, where generations of the Pecke and Peck families have lived since the 19th century.
In addition to the many variants of Pecke, there are several other related surnames that came from the same root. Some of the more popular surnames that also have the same origin are Brekele, Bryck, Packe, Pek, Pich, and Piché.
Overall, the surname Pecke has many variants and spellings, making it quite popular around the world. It is a great example of how the spelling of a name can be changed while still having the same origin.
Famous people with the name Pecke
- Nicholas Pecke: a German explorer and mapmaker who made several trips to the New World during the 16th century.
- Johann Pecke: a German mathematician and astronomer active during the 15th century.
- Robert Pecke: A British artist and engraver active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
- Peter Pecke: A Dutch painter active in the late 16th century and one of the first to regularly paint horses and horse-riding scenes.
- George Pecke: A British landscape painter and photographer active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Henry Pecke: An English shipbuilder active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Charles Pecke: A British sculptor active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Elizabeth Pecke: An English quilter and needleworker active in the 19th century.
- Gabriel Pecke: A Dutch fountain maker active in the late 16th century.
- Edward Pecke: A British stained glass maker active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.