Penn

Penn is a British surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "penn", meaning a hill or a top of a slope. It is classified as a habitational surname, indicating that it refers to a person who lived near or on a hill.

The surname Penn is believed to have originated in various regions across England, including Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. Throughout history, individuals bearing the surname Penn have been noted for their contributions in various fields, including politics, literature, and the arts.

One of the most famous bearers of the Penn surname is William Penn (1644-1718), an influential English Quaker, real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony that later became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

As with many British surnames, the Penn surname has undergone variations in spelling over the centuries, including Pen, Penne, and Penner. Today, the surname Penn continues to be found in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries around the world, reflecting the enduring heritage and legacy of the Penn family name.

There are approximately 5,991 people named Penn in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,584th most common surname in Britain. Around 92 in a million people in Britain are named Penn.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Andrew
  • Christopher
  • David
  • James
  • John
  • Matthew
  • Michael
  • Richard
  • Robert
  • Stephen

Female

  • Elizabeth
  • Fiona
  • Helen
  • Jacqueline
  • Karen
  • Margaret
  • Nicola
  • Patricia
  • Rachel
  • Sarah
  • Susan

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