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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English (Norfolk) : from Middle English pardun, pardon ‘pardon’, a metonymic occupational name for a pardoner, a person licensed to sell papal pardons or indulgences.
  • German : either a cognate of 1 (also for a sexton), from Old French pardon ‘pardon’, or perhaps a nickname from Middle Low German bardūn, Middle High German purdūne ‘pipe’ (instrument), ‘tenor’ (voice).

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