Surname Pembroke - Meaning and Origin

Pembroke: What does the surname Pembroke mean?

The last name Pembroke is an English surname primarily stemming from Pembrokeshire, which is a county of Wales. It is believed to have been derived from the old Welsh “Penfro” which was the name of the then-province. Over time, the name was modified to include the Old French “broc” meaning “a brook” and thus the name Pembroke came to be, referring to the geographical location by a small brook.

The Pembroke surname is believed to have originated between the 11th and 16th centuries, and there are numerous records of people bearing this name living in different parts of England and Wales. According to one source, the Pembroke family of England was prominent in the Glamorganshire region, and they were known to be landowners during the Elizabethan period.

The Pembroke last name has been a significant part of the English family tree for centuries, and it is believed that countless generations have been born with the Pembroke name. It has held various connotations over the centuries, ranging from its original reference to a geographical location to being a proud symbol of family lineage and heritage.

Pembroke: Where does the name Pembroke come from?

The last name Pembroke is relatively common in English-specific nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The surname has its roots in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire, located in the southern tip of the country.

In the United Kingdom, the surname is particularly common in the rural parts of Wales and in the city of London. Pembrokes can also be found across the pond in the United States, particularly in the New England region.

The name is also widely distributed throughout Canada, with particularly high numbers in British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces. Australia is also home to a significant number of Pembrokes, mainly in the states of Victoria and New South Wales.

The surname was especially popular during the 19th-century gold rushes of the United States and Australia and has been growing in numbers ever since. It is kept alive by the descendents of these original settlers and those who have taken the name more recently as they have moved around the world.

In terms of general distribution, the last name Pembroke is most concentrated in the English speaking world. However, there have been a few reports of Pembrokes in France, Spain, and even as far as Indonesia.

Variations of the surname Pembroke

Pembroke is an English surname originating from the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It is also spelt Pembrok and, much rarer, Pemboke and Pembrooke.

Variants of the Pembroke surname include Pembrock, Pembroc, Pembruk, Pembruc, Pembric, Pembourk, Pemborck, Pembork, and Pembrych.

Other spellings of Pembroke include Pembrookes, Pembrooks, Pembrick, Pembrich, Pembryke, Pembryk, and Pembridge.

The surname Pembroke also includes several patronyms, such as Pembroke, Pemble, Pembridge, Pemblely, Pemblington, Pembles, and Pemel.

There are also numerous variants of the Pembroke name from other countries. In Scotland, for instance, it is spelt Pembrodie, Pembroke, Pembrock, Pempoquit, Pemporlette, and Pempterie; in Germany, it is spelt Pembroke, Pemproke, Pempricke, and Pemprich; and in France, it is spelt Pembroke, Pempricq, Pemprick, and Pembrige.

The Pembroke surname is also sometimes combined with other surnames to create double-barrelled surnames, such as Pembroke-Smith, Pembroke-Jones and Pembroke-Jones.

The Pembroke name is quite rare and is thus not found in many countries today. Nevertheless, alternate spellings and variants may exist in some countries, such as America, Australia, and Canada, due to migration over the centuries and centuries.

Famous people with the name Pembroke

• William Pembroke Curtin: American volunteer soldier and government official.
• Richard Pembroke: English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1629.
• Herbert Pembroke: English lawyer and academic, appointed Regius Professor of Laws at Cambridge University in 1647.
• Henry Pembroke: Australian politician who from 1859 to 1865 was the second Premier of Victoria.
• Herbert Pembroke: English civil servant and barrister who was Permanent Secretary of the War Office and later of the Admiralty.
• Christopher Pembroke: English diplomat and courtier who served as Ambassador to Madrid from 1623 to 1625.
• Robert Pembroke: English actor and comedian who was well known for his roles in film and television.
• Robert Pembroke: British Army officer and descendant of William Pembroke, who fought in the Second Boer War and First World War.
• John Pembroke: 17th century English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679.
• Peter Pembroke: English barrister and judge of the High Court of Justice, was a brilliant legal scholar.

Other surnames

Pembrook