Surname Peine - Meaning and Origin
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Peine: What does the surname Peine mean?
Peine is a surname of German origin that can trace its roots back to the medieval region of Westphalia in central Germany. The name derives from the ancient German word 'pein', which can mean either 'pain', 'suffering' or 'torment'. While the exact reason why the name became associated with these meanings is not known, it can be assumed that it was likely inspired by the difficult life faced by many medieval German peoples.
The Peines were a prominent family of the region, having several branches of importance. It is likely that the original holders of the name were strongly linked to the Church, possibly within a monastic order, given the religious associations of the word. Over time, other branches of the family arose from the rise of the guild system of the region, indicating that members of the family were active in the crafts.
Today, the Peines are a recognized surname in Germany, and its variant spellings can be found throughout the world as a result of immigration. While the exact original meaning of the name may have been lost over time, its connections to the region's history and culture remain intact. As such, the Peines can take pride in the their strong ties to their ancestral homeland.
Order DNA origin analysisPeine: Where does the name Peine come from?
The last name Peine is most commonly found today in Germany. In the German phone directory, the name Peine appears with a frequency of about 7,900 listings. The last name is derived from the German word 'peine' or 'pine', meaning a wide variety of spiny-leaved trees or shrubs. This indicates that the surname holders were possibly associated with the forestry industry or other related occupations.
In addition, considerable amounts of the population bearing the surname Peine can also be found in regions of the United States that were originally settled by German immigrants. Peine can be found particularly in areas such as Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan that have strong German-American populations. Additionally, the United States Census Bureau has data showing the last name exists in many states such as Texas, California, and New York.
Due to the widespread distribution of the surname within Germany, it may also be present in other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Luxemburg. Likewise, various people with the surname can be found in other European countries such as France, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
Variations of the surname Peine
The Peine surname is very common in Germany, where it is considered to be a toponymic surname derived from the city of Peine in Lower Saxony. Other variants of this surname include Pein, Pene, Peene, Pien, Piner, Penne, Peiner, Püne, Pünner, Pünnerhof, Peinemann, Peinert, and Peinhammer.
In the United States, the surname Peine has various spellings, including Paine, Payne, and Payn, due to early settlers arriving from England using different spellings of the name. Similarly, in France, the name Peine can also be found as Péan or Péhant, due to French phonetic spelling and pronunciation.
In Italy, the variant of Peine is believed to be "Pinna", although the origin of the name is unknown. Pinna can also be found as a rare variant in Spain, with similar pronunciation.
The Welsh variant of Peine is "Payne", and in Ireland, the name can be found spelled as Paine, Payne, or Pane.
The Russian variant is Пейн, or Payn, and the Dutch variant is "Pijn", also spelled as "Pyn". All of these surnames are believed to have evolved from the German surname of Peine.
Famous people with the name Peine
- Max Peine (1855-1931) was an American lawyer and newspaper publisher.
- Immanuel Peine (1724-1803) was a German divine and hymnologist.
- Louis Peine (1855-1929) was a French sculptor.
- Franz Peine (1773-1825) was a German Candidatus Juris.
- Jacob Peine (1741-1817) was a German author.
- Martin Peine (1740-1821) was a German educationalist.
- Wilhelm Peine (1781-1851) was a German statesman.
- Alastair Peine (active in the 20th century) was an American film producer.
- Lillie Peine (1846-1882) was an American entertainer.
- Paul Peine (1830-1888) was a German-American theologian.
- Robert Peine (1929-2019) was an Australian trade unionist and political figure.