Surname Peg - Meaning and Origin

Peg: What does the surname Peg mean?

The surname Peg is most commonly an anglicized form of the Irish surname MacPeig, derived from the given name Peig. In its original form as Mac, the prefix means ‘son of’, indicating that Peg is an inherited surname. The given name Peig is a shortening of the old Irish name Aillilpeig – anglicized as Agnes – which means a ‘kind and noble person’. As such, this surname is likely derived from an old Irish nickname or pet name, used to describe a kind individual.

Based on records and records from the 16th and 17th century, it appears that the Peg family were originally from Tirconnaill and Cork in Ireland. From here, many members of the Peg family moved to England and eventually to the United States, where they established their own families. Their descendants then spread across the entire continent, from the east coast of the United States to as far west as California.

The surname Peg is still common today, with the majority of people who carry it hailing from Irish heritage. It further goes to show the strength and resilience of their heritage, in that they have been able to keep the name alive even after so many years of emigration. Despite their travels, the Peg name still carries the same meaning today as it did centuries ago: a sign of someone being kind and noble.

Peg: Where does the name Peg come from?

The surname Peg is found throughout the world today, though it is especially common in the English-speaking countries of the United Kingdom and the United States. In both the UK and the US, the last name Peg is most prevalent in the southern regions of England and in the Mid-Atlantic states of the US.

In England, the Peg surname is relatively evenly spread out throughout the country and is especially popular in London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton, and Bristol. In the US, the states of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and Maryland all have high concentrations of people with last names Peg. The surname is also commonly found in the US states of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Iowa, and California.

The origin of the last name Peg is thought to have come from the Old Saxon-Norse personal name Paganus, which means peasant. It is believed that pagano later became Peg, a nickname that was used by some of the descendants of Paganus. From there, Peg became a surname, and eventually spread throughout the world.

Today, the Peg surname is often seen used as a given name for characters in books and movies, and as a nickname for anyone with the surname of Paganus. The Peg name has also been adopted as a sporting team mascot in several countries, including Scotland, England, the US, and Australia.

Variations of the surname Peg

The surname Peg is of English origin. Variations of the surname include Pegg, Pegge, Peggs, Pegs, and Pegge. These spellings often appear interchangeably in records, as such it is difficult to determine which version of the name is the original form. Peg is derived from the Medieval English personal name of the same spelling. This name likely originated from 'Pegge', a Middle English nickname, often referring to an individual with a peg-leg or who had a strong connection to a specific location.

The primary variants of the Peg surname are Pegg and Pegge. The suffix –s or –es is a patronymic, or indicative of being descended from a particular father. The presence of this suffix is often evidence of being descended from an illustrious family.

The surname Pegge has a variety of spellings such as Pex, Pexge, and Peyx. Before the standardization of a single spelling of surnames in the late Middle Ages, record-keepers would often record the same name in different spellings. This caused conflicting references and entries.

The surname Peggs is found mainly in counties of England such as Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. Nuggets of information relating to this particular line of the Peg family can be found in the Battye library of Western Australia. Peggs are also found in London where they are mainly derived from Huguenot refugees from France.

The surname Pegs is found mainly in Ireland and Northern England. This surname can also be found in Scotland and is often associated with the families in the North of England that settled in Scotland.

The surname Padgett is found mainly in Scotland. It is thought to have derived from the Peg surname as Pad and Peg are variant spellings of the same thing. In origin it is thought to be a nickname form of Patrick given to a servant of a feudal lord by that name.

It is therefore evident that the Peg surname has many variants existing today and varying in place of origin and meaning.

Famous people with the name Peg

• Christina Pegula: An American entrepreneur, producer, and television personality who is the co-owner of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres sports teams.
• Joyce Pegden: A British actress best known for her film and television roles.
• R. A. Pegley: An American chef, author, and television personality who was the host of the popular television show, The Great British Baking Show.
• Lorna Pegler: A British artist and sculptor known for her wide-ranging works in stone, wood, bronze, and other media.
• Richard Pegler: A British politician who served as a Member of Parliament from 1951 to 1955.
• Bill Pegler: A Canadian businessman, philanthropist, and television producer who founded the AMPED music service.
• Jackie Pegler: An English actor, producer, author, and voice-over artist best known for her role as Charlie Brewer in the hit television show, Allo Allo.
• Cordelia Pegley: An English singer, songwriter, and television personality who was a member of the girl group, The Sugababes.
• William Pegler: An American business magnate who was the founder and CEO of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation.
• Lucy Pegler: An English actor and model best known for appearances in the television shows, Doctors, and EastEnders.

Other surnames

PegdePeggPeggePeggs