Surname Peham - Meaning and Origin
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Peham: What does the surname Peham mean?
The last name Peham is of Germanic origin and is derived from an Old High German word meaning “peasant.” Historians believe the name was initially used to denote a class of people considered to be lower on the social hierarchy and could have been used to refer to peasants and farmers. It can also be interpreted to mean “hereditary farmstead owner,” which would have been more likely to refer to a higher class of peasant.
The surname is found primarily in central and southern Germany, as well as Austria, and can alternatively be spelled Pehamm, Pehm or Pehme. It is believed to have been borne by roughly 3,000 individuals in the early 19th century in Germany, making it a relatively common surname in the country.
The name is also found amongst some Palatine Germans, a people group that began in the 17th century and originated in the German Palatinate region. Many immigrated to Pennsylvania in the United States and became known as Pennsylvania Dutch. The name Peham is likely to have been brought to North America by some of these immigrants, and could have been adapted to different phonetic spellings on arrival.
The surname has a long and rich history across Europe and North America. It is a reminder of a time when the social hierarchy in rural settlements was more clearly divided, and may even carry a sense of pride for some families that are able to trace their lineage back to rural Germanic ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisPeham: Where does the name Peham come from?
The last name Peham is a common and ancient name with origins from both Europe and the Middle East. While it is unknown precisely when the last name was adopted, records indicate that it has been used in the Middle East and Europe since at least the 17th century. The top countries today with the most occurrences of the surname Peham are Bulgaria, Turkey, and the United States.
In Bulgaria, Peham is the 140th most commonly used name, with over 400 Bulgarians claiming it as their last name. In Turkey, the name is even more popular, as it ranks as the 52nd most popular name, with approximately 8,000 Turkophones using Peham as their last name.
In the United States, one of the largest populations of Pehams is found in the Detroit metropolitan area, where an estimated 400 Americans use the last name. On a national level, the US census bureau estimates that over 1,200 people have adopted the last name Peham as their primary name. This popularity of the surname Peham is seen no doubt due to the high levels of immigration from countries such as Turkey and Bulgaria into the US.
As of today, the surname Peham is still popular in countries such as Bulgaria and Turkey, but due to immigration, the popularity of Peham is on the rise in the US.
Variations of the surname Peham
The surname Peham is an Austrian variant of the German surname Pfahm. It is a unique name with several variations, most of which come from its roots in Low and Middle German words combined.
The most common variant of the surname Peham is Pehamer, which is the Low German version of the name. It is most commonly seen in Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, and Northern Switzerland. Other variants of the name include Pfehamer, Pfehamer, Pfahmer, Pfähmer, Pfehmer, Pfehhamer, Pfihamer, Pfeifer, Pfeiffer, Pefformer, and Peffamer.
The variants mentioned above can be differentiated based on the spelling in use, often reflecting the regional language of origin. The spelling Pehamer is typical of areas that consciously use Low German language, while Pfehmer is seen in more traditional speaking homes that favour Latin spellings.
There are a few names that share an etymological origin with Peham, such as Pfennig (from Low German “pfenning”) and Pfisterer (from the high German “pfister”). This family of names generally refers to someone who is involved in the silver or gold trade, as the words they stem from often refer to a coin or a metal worker.
In sum, the surname Peham has several variants and spellings that can be traced back to its Low German roots. It is also related to a few surnames that share an etymological origin. There are many regional variations that often reflect the language of origin.
Famous people with the name Peham
- David Peham: former Austrian middle-distance runner who has won multiple Austrian Championships in 800 metres.
- Paul Peham: Austrian long-distance runner who has won bronze medals in the marathon at the 1975 European Athletics Championships and 1980 Summer Olympics.
- Emmanuel Peham: Austrian footballer who plays as a defender for SC Rheindorf Altach in the Austrian Bundesliga.
- Jonathan Peham: Austrian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga.
- Karl Peham: Austrian ice hockey goaltender who was a member of the Austrian national team from 2005 to 2010.
- Christopher Peham: Austrian decathlete who has won multiple Austrian championships in the event.
- Georg Peham: Austrian sprinter who represented his country at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- Isabella Peham: Austrian actress who has appeared in several television and film roles.
- Rudolf Peham: Austrian cross-country skier who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics.
- Alex Peham: Austrian bodybuilder who won the IFBB Austrian Grand Prix in 2018.