Surname Peiffers - Meaning and Origin

Peiffers: What does the surname Peiffers mean?

The last name Peiffers is of German origin and is believed to be derived from the high German word “peifen” meaning “to whistle.” Its first recorded use can be traced back to the early 1500s. The Peiffers family had established roots in Germany for centuries, though some records show a few of the family immigrating to America in the following centuries. While the exact date of the family settling in America is unknown, records show that immigrating family members were living in Pennsylvania by the early 1700s and later in Michigan.

The Peiffers name can be found in modern records stretching around the world. It is especially common in the United States and Germany, where the family first settled. There are many descendants of the Peiffers family who continue to live in the original regions of their family’s past and there are many others now scattered around the world due to emigration.

The Peiffers family is believed to be of a noble background and have been associated with prominent figures throughout the centuries, making the name a distinguished one. This is especially evident in many of the modern day members who commonly engage in charitable works, cite reverence for their culture, and use the family name to inspire others.

Peiffers: Where does the name Peiffers come from?

The last name Peiffers is most commonly found in Germany and surrounding countries. It is believed to date back to the 15th century and derived from the Old German name Pepinch, which was derived from the Latin word pippinus, meaning "small." German records show that the name was particularly common in Bavaria and the Rhineland Palatinate in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. During this period, the people bearing this name moved to areas such as the United States, South Africa and elsewhere, so there are now people with the name in many other countries around the world.

The name Peiffers is also common in parts of central and eastern Europe, such as Austria, Poland and Czech Republic, as well as in other countries across the world, including France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and countries in South America.

In the United States, the last name Peiffers can be found mainly in the mid-west and southeastern states, such as Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma. The highest concentration of the name in the United States is located in Pennsylvania, which has close ties with other Peiffer populations and other German descendants.

Despite its German origin, the last name Peiffers is present in a variety of countries spread across the world today, with many prominent people carrying this surname. This includes musician and actor Paul Peiffer, American artist Robert Peiffer, and Hollywood producer Vonnie Peiffer.

Variations of the surname Peiffers

Peiffers is a German surname of noble origin. Peiffers is the most common variant, but the name is also written as Pieffers, Piffers, Pifer, Poffers, Pefers, and Pfeiffer. An older variant of the surname is Pieffer, which originated in the late 1500s or early 1600s. Similarly, Piffer and Pfeiffer derive from Piefer which was first found in the year 1377, also in Germany. Pifer is an older spelling which has become uncommon since the 17th century and is derived from the medieval German Piefer.

The surname Poffers, is rare and is derived from the Middle High German Pfoffer or Pfeffer, meaning salt seller or peppercorn seller. Similarly, Pefers is derived from an old German word meaning "spice trader". All these variants are from the same root name, and it is not uncommon to find different German-speaking families having variations within the same surname.

The common prefix for the surname and all its variants is "P" and since surnames are generally passed down from father to son, if you find the Peiffers surname within your family tree, it is likely that the spelling can be traced back to the same origin.

Famous people with the name Peiffers

• Joe Peiffer- professional baseball player
• Dave Peiffer: musician 3.Ethan Peiffer- celebrity chef
• Monique Peiffer: model
• Ange Peiffer: actress
• Christopher Peiffer: writer
• Daniel Peiffer: politician
• Marina Peiffer: philanthropist
• Danny Peiffer: professional skateboarder
• Larry Peiffer: Olympic athlete

Other surnames

Peiffer