Surname Power - Meaning and Origin
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Unravelling the Power Lineage: A Deep dive into My Ancestral History through iGENEA DNA Test
By undergoing a DNA test at iGENEA, I gained a deeper understanding of my lineage, particularly surrounding my surname, Power. The non-invasive, yet highly accurate testing methods provided a fascinating insight into the history, origins, and dispersion of the Power surname.
L. Power
read morePower: What does the surname Power mean?
The surname Power, of old French origin, is derived from the word "pohier", meaning a poor man or mendicant. It was first used in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. However, the surname has a different origin in Ireland; it is an Anglicized version of the Old Gaelic "O'Power" or "de Paor", meaning "grandson or descendent of Paor", a byname meaning ‘the poor man’ or ‘the tenant’. Therefore, the surname Power denotes a familial relation to an ancestor who was possibly known for either being poor or being a tenant. Despite its seemingly humble origins, the name has a rich heritage with Irish de Paors becoming Anglo-Norman landed gentry. Today, the surname is popular in both Britain and Ireland. It's always important to remember that surnames have evolved and their meanings and origins can be influenced by geographical origins and history.
Order DNA origin analysisPower: Where does the name Power come from?
The last name Power is most commonly found today in English-speaking countries, especially in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States. The name Power can be found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, but is more rare in other countries.
In England, Power is a particularly common surname, ranking as the 47th most common name in the country according to the Office for National Statistics for 2018. While Wallingford, Oxfordshire is the largest cluster, it is also found in great numbers in Lancashire, Surrey, Somerset, Hampshire and Devon.
In Ireland, Power is the sixth most common surname with over 123,000 bearers in the 2020 census. It is most commonly found in County Tipperary, Wexford and County Kerry. In the United States, Power is the 853rd most common name according to the latest census data. In 2019, top states for this name were Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and California.
Overall, the surname Power has been quite popular in English-speaking countries due to its ever-present use as a surname for hundreds of years. While its popularity may have decreased in the past century, it still remains one of the commonest surnames in many countries.
Variations of the surname Power
The surname Power is of Irish and British origin and is derived from the Old French word “pouer”, meaning teacher or authority. It is most commonly spelled Powers but there are numerous variants and spellings.
Variants and related forms of the surname Power include Powers, Powar, Poer, Poar, Pouer,Pwer, Pour, Paor, Pawer, Puer, and Puar. Other related surnames include Pawr and Poweer.
The Power surname is also found in different parts of the world, as different spellings in various languages. For example, in France it is spelled Puir, in Germany it is Poehr, and in Italy it is Puggioni. In India, the surname is spelled as Puri or Pors.
In terms of etymology, the surname Power is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Pugáin, meaning “grandson of Pugáin”. The name was first found in County Mayo and County Kilkenny in Ireland.
In British records, the surname Power is found as early as the thirteenth century. During this period, the name was popular in the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Cambridgeshire.
Overall, the surname Power has several variants, spellings and related surnames. These variations are quite common throughout England, Ireland, France, Germany, India and Italy.
Famous people with the name Power
- Thomas Power: American actor who starred in the classic hit "Casablanca."
- Emily Power: American actress and model with several notable films to her credit.
- John Power: British singer-songwriter best known as the frontman of the pop-rock band Cast, in particular the hit single "Why Why Why Love".
- Rob Power: Australian released singer-songwriter who released his first album in 2003.
- Pete Power: Irish music producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, most famous for producing work for some of the biggest Irish bands of the early 2000's.
- Jeff Power: American actor of film and television.
- Bill Power: Canadian lawyer and one-time president of the Bar of Montreal.
- Paul Power: British businessman, founder of the Power retail group.
- Francis Power: 19th century MP for Meath.
- Henry Power: Australian politician who served as Premier of New South Wales for two years in the 1870s.