Pieterse

Pieterse is a surname of Dutch origin, commonly found in South Africa due to its historical ties with the Netherlands. The name is a patronymic form of the masculine given name Pieter, the Dutch equivalent of Peter.

Origin

The surname Pieterse is derived from the given name Pieter, which itself is a form of the name Peter. Peter is a name of Greek origin, meaning "rock" or "stone", and is a name with strong biblical connotations due to Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

Distribution

The surname Pieterse is primarily found in South Africa, due to the Dutch colonisation of the region. Many Pieterse families may trace their ancestry back to Dutch settlers who arrived in South Africa during the 17th and 18th centuries. The surname is also found in the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking regions.

Variants

Variants of the Pieterse surname include Petersen, Pietersen, and Peterson. These variants may reflect different regional pronunciations or spelling conventions.

Notable Individuals

Notable individuals with the surname Pieterse include:

  • Sasha Pieterse: A South African-born American actress and singer, best known for her role as Alison DiLaurentis in the television series "Pretty Little Liars".

References

  1. Hanks, P., & Hodges, F. (1988). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press.
  2. Cottle, B. (1967). Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Penguin Books.

There are approximately 311 people named Pieterse in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around five in a million people in Britain are named Pieterse.

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Abraham
  • Andrew
  • Arnout
  • Barend
  • Brett
  • Charl
  • Cornelius
  • David
  • Francois
  • Gert
  • Johannes
  • Mark
  • Matthew
  • Stephen
  • Theo

Female

  • Agnieszka
  • Alison
  • Diane
  • Ethel
  • Jan
  • Karen
  • Lesley
  • Louisa
  • Michelle
  • Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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