Surname Peperkok - Meaning and Origin

Peperkok: What does the surname Peperkok mean?

The last name Peperkok is of Dutch origin and is derived from a nickname for a person with a pepper-colored hair. It was likely given as a description of a person's distinctive ginger- or red-colored hair. The term "peperkok" is derived from the old Dutch words "peper" meaning pepper, and "kok" meaning head, together literally translating to "pepper head".

As a surname, Peperkok first appeared in medieval records kept by Dutch church officials. Since then, it has been used to identify families with a shared common ancestor, in this case, someone with ginger or red hair. As people with this last name countinued to marry one another over the years, the name became more widespread.

Today, the surname Peperkok is typically found among families of Dutch heritage, and it is still typically associated with descendants of reddish or auburn hair. These people might also still be known by the nickname or descriptive term "peperkok" in contemporary Dutch culture.

Peperkok: Where does the name Peperkok come from?

The last name "Peperkok" is a Dutch surname, which indicates that it is common today in areas of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, which were historically part of the Dutch-speaking world. The surname appears to be relatively rare today, with the Dutch government's official population register showing only about 400 registered family members with the name.

The Peperkok name likely originated as a place name, implying its first bearers hailed from a place called “Peperkok” — or “Pepper Corner” in English. While no such place name has been found in modern times to confirm this, it is possible that the name may have referred to a former small community or hamlet (especially one with a high population of families sharing the surname).

Most Dutch surnames derive from patronymic and topographic names: patronymic names were created from the first name of the father; and topographic names referred to geographical features associated with the original bearer’s origin. Thus, the surname Peperkok could mean either the “son of Peper” or a “person who resides in or near Peperkok.”

The surname Peperkok is likely to be concentrated along the border of the Netherlands and Belgium, given its proximity to the former accountable area for the Netherlands East India Company (VOC). It is also possible to find the name in areas of Germany historically part of the German Empire.

Variations of the surname Peperkok

The surname Peperkok originated in the Netherlands by the sixteenth century and has multiple variants and spellings. The most common spelling of it is “Peperkoke”, along with “Peperkokke”, “Pepperkok”, and “Pepperkoks”. The surname has also been found in Belgium and Germany, where several spellings including “Peperkoke”, “Pupperskikke”, “Papperskoke”, “Peppaske”, and “Papperskamp” have been used.

Another variant of the surname is “Peperenkok”, which is mainly used in the Netherlands. In Flanders, provinces of the Netherlands, it's been used as “Pepercocq”, and in the Walloon region of Belgium, it is spelled as “Pépérencocq”.

Related surnames of the same origin include “Pepernoot”, which is based on a Dutch word for “pepita”, an edible Mexican seed cantaloupe; “Pepperpot”, which is of Scottish origin; and “Peperboom”, which is Dutch for “pepper tree”.

Other surnames that are derived from the early form of “Peperkok” is “Pepernouw”, “Pepernael”, “Peperman”, “Pepers”, “Peppercorns”, and “Peperdeng”.

All variants of the surname Peperkok are derived from the Dutch word “pip”, meaning “pepper”, and the Dutch word “kok”, meaning “cook”. Thus, there are many different spellings and variants of the same origin, with similar pronunciations.

Famous people with the name Peperkok

• Raymond Peperkok: Belgian soccer player
• Gré Peperkok: Dutch presenter and author
• Otto Peperkok: Jewish athlete
• Hein Peperkok: Dutch sculptor
• Ernest Peperkok: Belgian cyclist
• Johan Peperkok: Dutch manager
• Mathieu Peperkok: French physicist
• Laura Peperkok: Dutch actress
• Johannes Peperkok: Dutch politician
• Mathilde Peperkok: Belgian pianist
• Willem Peperkok: Dutch painter
• Jimmy Peperkok: Dutch singer
• Francis Peperkok: Belgian abstract artist
• Bram Peperkok: Dutch swimmer
• Kas Peperkok: Dutch architect
• Sievi Peperkok: Dutch social worker
• Kofi Peperkok: Dutch judoka
• Jack Peperkok: French mountain climber
• Ellis Peperkok: Belgian basketball player
• See Peperkok: Dutch photographer

Other surnames

PeperkockPeperkorn