Surname Peterlein - Meaning and Origin

Peterlein: What does the surname Peterlein mean?

The last name Peterlein is an occupational name derived from the Middle High German petervogel, meaning “little Peter”. The name was given to a person working or living near a man named Peter, such as a friend or an indentured servant. It was also used to identify a person who was a farmer, a shoemaker, or even a miller, depending on the location.

The spelling of the name has seen many variants over the centuries and has been found in Germany, Austria, and the United States. The most common spelling in the United States these days is Peterlein.

Peterlein is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from the given name of a family member's father or other ancestor. In this case, it would have been derived from the given name of the early ancestor named Peter who had his name extended by adding -lein, which is a diminutive suffix meaning “small” or “little”.

The Peterlein family first arrived in the United States in the 1700s and were found in Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin. Over the years, the family has established many branches, with some families taking on additional surnames such as Pieterle, Peters, and Petersle.

Today, the Peterlein surname is found throughout the United States, with the majority of families living in areas of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It is also found in Germany and Austria.

Peterlein: Where does the name Peterlein come from?

The last name Peterlein is most commonly seen today in Germany. According to Der Spiegel, Peterlein is one of Germany's oldest surnames, which has been in use since the early days of the Middle Ages. The name was first recorded in 900 AD in Silesia (in what is now Poland), and has since been steadily used throughout Eastern Europe. It is unclear when this last name first spread into Germany, though it is possible that its first usage in that region occurred in the 12th or 13th centuries.

Peterlein is most frequently seen in and around the southern German states, including Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate. There are also pockets of Peterlein's in Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Outside of Germany, the last name is also seen in Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary, Russia and Ukraine.

In recent years, the Peterlein name has been spread even further through migration. There are now people living in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries who bear the name, though the number remains small. As of 2020, it is estimated that there are just over 3,000 Peterlein's worldwide, most of whom live in Germany.

Variations of the surname Peterlein

The surname Peterlein is primarily found in Germany, and is derived from Peter, an English form of the Greek name, Petros, which means “stone” or “rock”. Variants of Peterlein include Petterlein, Pitterlein, Pieterlein, and Peederlein. Additionally, surnames of similar origin include Petermann, Pettermann, Pittermann, Pietermann, as well as Petzold, Pettzold, and Petzolt.

In Germany, the name is sometimes spelled “Pieckel,” “Piecker,” and “Pieck” because of the local dialecttic pronunciations. Similarly, there are variants of the name that are found in Austria, such as Petters, Peterl, Petrle, Pefferl, and Pufferl.

In the US, Americanized variations of the name Peterlein include Peterlin, Petralin, and Peteline. There are also Dutch spellings of the name, such as Pieterzon, Pieterszoon, and Pieters, as well as German variations like Petzoldt and Pettzoldt.

Peterlein is also an Anglicized form of the old Germanic names Perl or Perle. There are various variations of this surname, such as Perls, Perlein, Marie Perle, Perla, Pearlmann, Pearle, Perles, and Perlman.

In addition, there are also alternate spellings of the name such as Petitprin, Piedron, Petir, and Peitrin.

Overall, the surname Peterlein has a variety of variants and spellings, both in Germany and the US, as well as various other countries. The origin of the name is ultimately derived from the Greek name Petros, meaning “stone”, and the many variations of the surname pay homage to that.

Famous people with the name Peterlein

• Klaus Peterlein: German track and field athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
• Robert Peterlein: German former footballer who played as a striker.
• Lothar Peterlein: German football player and manager.
• Jan Peterlein: German footballer who plays as a midfielder.
• Henri Peterlein: Belgian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
• Johannes Peterlein: South African rugby union player who played at fullback for the national team.
• Christian Peterlein: German footballer who currently plays as a defender.
• Eckhard Peterlein: German footballer who played as a left winger.
• Irene Peterlein: German actress known mostly for her roles in film and television.
• Laura Peterlein: German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union party.

Other surnames

Peterle