Peter Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Peter last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Peter last name
Meaning of the Peter last name: from Petrus, "rock". Peter as a German surname comes from the personal name Petrus, from Greek petros, meaning rock, in honour of the apostle. It was a popular baptismal name, so it became a surname in many German regions independently. A curious detail: forms of this one name now exist in almost every European language, from Pietro and Pedro to Pieter and Piotr.
Arms associated with the Peter name
German craftsmen often showed the tools of their trade on their shields, a down-to-earth tradition the Peter name belongs to.
Get your full Peter family history
This is only a glimpse of the Peter story. The full Peter history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Peter coat of arms. Get the full Peter report.
Peter name FAQ
What does the Peter name mean?
From Petrus, "rock". Common variants include Peters, Petri, Petter.
Where does the Peter surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Austria and Switzerland.
Is there a Peter coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Peter coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).