Surname Pitt - Meaning and Origin
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The Uncover: Tracing the Surprising Genetic Journey of the Surname Pitt with iGENEA DNA Test
My journey to understanding my genealogical heritage started with a simple iGENEA DNA test. I was hoping to enrich my understanding of my lineage, specifically related to my last name, Pitt. However, the test took me down history's lanes to unexpected destinations and told me stories of the powerful ancestors who share my surname.
Y. Pitt
read morePitt: What does the surname Pitt mean?
The surname Pitt is of English origin and has multiple potential meanings. It could have derived from the Old English term "pytt," meaning pit or hollow, and could therefore have been used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a pit or hollow. Additionally, it may also refer to a place name such as "Pitt" in Hampshire, England. Another interpretation suggests that the surname evolved from the diminutive form of the name "Peter". Peter comes from the Greek "Petros" meaning stone or rock. This would again tie to the theory that the surname relates to something topographical. While the exact meaning can vary, each involves a reference to geography or location. Notable people with the surname Pitt include British Prime Minister William Pitt and American actor Brad Pitt.
Order DNA origin analysisPitt: Where does the name Pitt come from?
The last name Pitt is common throughout England and in parts of the United States. In England, the Pitt name is particularly common in Somerset and Wiltshire, two counties in the south-west of England.
As for the United States, the last name Pitt is most common in North and South Carolina. It is also regularly found in other southeastern states, such as Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Interestingly, Pitt is a somewhat more unusual name in the northern US, though there are still some areas where it is quite popular. One such place is Michigan, where there is a high concentration of Pitts in the Detroit Metropolitan area.
The Pitt name can also be found in parts of Canada, mainly in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. It is believed that the origin of the name lies in the area of southwest England mentioned earlier, where it was a topographic name for someone who lived on a hill or in a valley – a ‘pit’.
The has been immortalized in the form of famous celebrities with the last name, such as actors Brad Pitt and Robert Pitt, both from the United States.
Variations of the surname Pitt
The surname Pitt has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Pit, Pyrt, Pyroty, Pirte, Pitta, Pyrte, and Pytt.
The surname Pitt is usually of English origin, deriving from the name of an ancestor, which was derived from a personal name. In this case, the personal name was derived from the Old English given name ‘Pytt’, which was short for ‘Piers’, which meant ‘Rock’.
The modern variants of this surname are often found in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and other countries consisting of large numbers of descendants from English immigrants. The surnames Pyrt and Pyroty also appear in these countries, as well as in European countries such as Germany and France.
The surname Pirte is most commonly found in France and Germany, and it is thought to be derived from the French surname Pierre, which was itself derived from the Old French name ‘Piers’. The variants Pitta and Pyrte are also thought to have originated in France.
The variants Pytt and Pit are most commonly found in the U.S and U.K, and they are derived from the Old English given names Pytt and Pyt. It’s possible that some of the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Pitt are the result of misspellings on official documents such as birth certificates or marriage certificates.
Famous people with the name Pitt
- Brad Pitt: American actor, producer, and philanthropist
- Julia “Jill” Pitt: American actress
- William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham: British statesman
- Doug Pitt: American actor and business executive
- Spike Pitt: American actor
- Michael Pitt: American actor and musician
- William Pitt, 1st Baron Holland: English politician
- Clifton Pitt: American actor
- Mary Pitt: American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter
- Jane Pitt: American philanthropist
- Lenora Pitt: American socialite
- Sydney Pitt: American actress
- Chad Pitt: American actor
- Rochelle Pitt: American actress
- John Pitt: British poet
- Darryll Pitt: American film producer
- William Pitt, 1st Marquess of Browne: British politician
- Harry Pitt: British author
- MaryAnna Pitt: American actress
- Alexander Pitt: British-Australian author and radio personality