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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • Dutch, German, and English : variant of Peter.
  • German (southwest) : from Middle High German pfetter ‘godfather’ or ‘uncle’ (from Late Latin patrinus, derivative of pater ‘father’).
  • Dutch : occupational name for someone who pumped water, from an agent derivative of Middle Dutch putten, pitten, petten ‘to draw water’.

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