Surname Pefgen - Meaning and Origin
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Pefgen: What does the surname Pefgen mean?
The last name Pefgen is of Germanic origin, originating from the Middle High German word "pencen". It is a variant spelling of the more common Pfenning, which means "a small coin of little value" or "penny". The name may derive from an occupational name for a minter of coins or from the habitation of someone living near a penny factory. The use of the name as a surname began in Germany and then spread across Europe.
The individuals bearing the Pefgen surname may be related to a person originally named Pfenning or from a place where coins were minted. The name has likely been modified throughout time, as Germanic names took on foreign-sounding idioms when adopted into other languages. Over the centuries, the name may have been further adapted by the new speakers, depending on the language used in adoption. It is found in different spellings all over Europe, as some adopted words use different spellings, making the name associated with foreign origins.
The Pefgen surname is still found in various countries in Europe, primarily Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where it originated. It is also found elsewhere around the world, including in North America, as some descendants of the original Pfenning family immigrated in the early to mid-twentieth century.
Order DNA origin analysisPefgen: Where does the name Pefgen come from?
The last name Pefgen is most commonly found in Germany today. According to FamilyTree DNA's Global Family Reunion, it is primarily a surname from the Rhineland area of Germany. This includes the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland.
Pefgen is an uncommon last name even in Germany, with only about 6,000 individuals having the last name according to German genealogy records. The vast majority of Pefgen's can be found in Germany, but a few individuals also live in countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Pefgen first appeared in records as early as the 12th century in either the Rhineland or the Thurgau regions of present-day Switzerland. The earliest records of the name were spelled Paffgan or Papgen. The name evolved to Pefgen over the centuries, likely due to regional dialects.
The Pefgen lineage may have originated from a single family; however, modern-day Pefgens likely descended from multiple sites spread throughout Germany. Given the rarity of the name, it is likely that some individuals have descended from the same region or from a single individual somewhere long ago.
Today, the Pefgen name is still remembered in Germany and honored by the individuals who share it. Whether due to regional dialects or a single ancestor, the Pefgen surname today boasts individuals across the globe that can trace their roots back to the stunning Rhineland of Germany.
Variations of the surname Pefgen
The Pefgen surname is derived from two names of German origin, namely Pfefgen and Pfaff (or Pfau).
Variants of the Pefgen surname include: Pfefgen, Pfefgan, Pfouting (or Pfoeting), Pfeuger, Pfeufer, Pfaff, Pfau, and Pfefge.
When the surname is passed down from different generations, it often becomes slightly altered or "Americanized" in spelling. For example, the name may change to Pfeffinger, Pfeffer, Pfeifer, or Pfifer.
The Pefgen surname can also take on different spellings depending on which country it can be found. In North America, the spelling may be furthered anglicized to Pfefgen, Peffgen, Pfauser, Pfoffing, or Pwergen.
In the Netherlands, the surname may be spelled as Pfaffen, Pfiffen, Pfougen, Peffen, or Pefen.
In France, the surname may become Pauffin, Pouffin, Poffin, or Poufin.
In Austria, the surname may be Pfefgen, Pfefgil or Pfaffendorf.
In Switzerland, the surname may become Pfiffer, Pfeiffer, Pfeifer, Pfifffer, or Pfiferer.
Regardless of the various spellings and surnames, all of them are all derived from the same Germanic origin.
Famous people with the name Pefgen
- Manfred Pefgen: Manfred Pefgen is a German film and television actor best known for his role as Captain Stolz in the Schwarzwaldklinik TV series and for his voice dubbing roles in German-language versions of Hollywood films.
- Randolf Pefgen: Randolf Pefgen is a former German footballer who played for VfL Bochum and Tottenham Hotspur in the 1970s and 80s.
- Peter Pefgen: Peter Pefgen is a German-American visual effects artist who has worked on films like The Godfather: Part III and Die Hard with a Vengeance.
- Karl Pefgen: Karl Pefgen was a German industrialist and aviation pioneer who helped develop the Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket fighter plane.
- Juliusz Pefgen: Juliusz Pefgen was a Polish musicologist and theater director who revived the works of many 19th-century composers.
- Henryk Pefgen: Henryk Pefgen was a Polish Nazi-German collaborator who served in the Schutzstaffel during World War II.
- Ryszard Pefgen: Ryszard Pefgen is a prominent Polish-American IT entrepreneur and founder of Polish software company Prokom Software.