POWE
The surname Powe is of English origin and appears to have descended from the Old English word pawa, meaning “peacock.” It is thought to have been applied as a nickname to a person who displayed a proud or flamboyant manner, or who had some direct association with peafowl. The early forms in records reveal a range of spellings, including Po, Poe, Poo, Pow and Powe itself, and most contemporary scholars agree that the use of the short form po was common in medieval England.
In addition to its English usage, the spelling Powe is sometimes found in Wales as a fused version of ap Howe – meaning “the son of Howe” – the Welsh equivalent of the Gaelic Mac or the Scottish Mc. In Scotland it was occasionally recorded as Po or Pau, while in Italy the name might have arisen from residence near a river called Po. These variations illustrate the complex, multi‑cultural heritage that can accompany a surname despite a common spelling.
The earliest documented occurrence of a form comparable to Powe dates from the 13th century. Richard de la Pole is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Suffolk in 1273, and William Polle appears on the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. In London, the name has existed for several centuries, with examples such as David Poo, who married Margaret Reinolds at Lawrence Pountney in 1564, Ann Poe, who married John Smith in 1636, and Ann Pow, who was christened at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney in 1736.
While the surname is historically English, it is now widespread in the United States. It is recorded in 29 states, with the highest concentration in the Deep South, especially Mississippi and Alabama, and significant numbers also in North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas and Maryland. An African American line of the surname developed after emancipation in the 1860s, beginning with Rev. Draper Sylvester Powe of Savannah, Georgia, whose descendants today reside largely in Florida and elsewhere in the South.
Other possible derivations have been proposed in the literature but remain uncertain. Some scholars link the name to the older pre‑7th-century term pal, meaning “stake” or “boundary mark,” suggesting a topographic origin, while others consider a connection with the Anglo‑Saxon personal name Power or the Old French Puer. Corresponding variants include Powers, Powery, Puer, Puera, Pueram, Puerle, Powar and Puerlar. In Germany the surname may appear as Pau, Pauu, Puer, Power or Powe; in Ireland as Po, Pau, Pauw, Pawe or Pews; and in Scotland it may also be rendered as MacPowis, McPowys or MacPoweys.
Among modern bearers of the name, the American football player Jerrell Powe is well known, and historical records of the Powe family in England, Canada and Australia demonstrate the enduring presence of this surname across the English‑speaking world.
Typical given names associated with the Powe surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Matthew
- Michael
- Mothusi
- Nicholas
- Philip
- Robert
- Rory
Female
- Amanda
- Emily
- Hannah
- Helen
- Julia
- Laura
- Lisa
- Louise
- Margaret
- Nadia
- Sarah
- Shelley
- Sonya
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Powe in...
Braille
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Morse
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Powe are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 413 people named Powe in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Powe.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
