Surname Porteous - Meaning and Origin
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Porteous: What does the surname Porteous mean?
The surname Porteous is of Scottish origin and is considered to be topographic or occupational. It comes from the Old French term "porteur," which means "bearer" or "carrier," suggesting an origin related to someone who carried things as their job. This could have been anything from goods to messages. Another interpretation is that it is a topographic name for someone who lived near a gate or a door, deriving from the Old French word "porte" meaning "gate", and "huis", the word for "door". The surname first made its appearance in the early 13th century. As with many surnames, over centuries and generations, the spelling has transformed into various forms including Porteious, Porteius, Porteus, Porteusse, Portious, and Porteous.
Order DNA origin analysisPorteous: Where does the name Porteous come from?
The last name Porteous is most commonly found in Scotland, particularly in the Central Belt region which includes the major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Across Scotland as a whole, the name can be found in higher concentrations in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Angus, Perth and Kinross, and Aberdeenshire.
The Porteous name can also be found throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland and England where the name is concentrated in the North East of England. It is also found in small numbers in Ireland, Australia, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.
The Porteous name is believed to have originated in Scotland, and according to historical records, the name is thought to have first been recorded in the 13th century in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. During the 16th century, the Porteous family moved from Berwick and settled in East Lothian in Scotland, where it remains to this day.
The name can also be used as a first name, and is of Scottish and English origin. The name is derived from the Gaelic word ‘poirt’ which means ‘passageway’ and ‘eous’, a common suffix used in Scottish and northern English surnames. The meaning of the name is therefore ‘passageway of the fort’.
Variations of the surname Porteous
The surname Porteous is an English and Scottish name of local origin. Derived from the Old French word porteous, it refers to the topography of a place, meaning "the way out". The spelling of the surname varies of Porteous depending on the particular area in which it is found. Variants include Porteous, Porteau, Portico, Portice, Porticio, Portise, Portuise, and Portus.
Surnames of similar origin, and with the same meaning, include Portch, Porch, Porsch and Porche. These surnames are derived from the same Middle English word "porthe", which is the same as "porteous". Porthe is also the origin of similar surnames, including Porteous, Portheys and Porch.
The Scottish spelling of Porteous varies though, and can lead to the surnames pertus, Perteus, perteuse and portheu. Other variations of Porteous, found in Europe, are Porteus, Porteusse, Portius and Porteux. In France, the name Porteusse is used, while in Spain, Porteus is more common.
In England and Scotland, the names Porters, Portis, Purtis, and Purser are found. These variations of Porteous are derived from the profession of a porter, which means 'to carry'. The naming of a person after this profession, as in 'John the Porter', is relatively common in British records.
Other variations of Porteous, both English and Scottish, include Porteous, Porteousse, Portios, Port device, Porttus, Porteuse, Portice, and Portt. These are all derived from the same Old French word, porteous. The spelling of the surname may have changed over the generations, but this does not affect its meaning or original origin.
Famous people with the name Porteous
- Anna-Louise Porteous, a British actress.
- David Porteous, a Scottish painter.
- Jo Porteous, a former Scotland rugby international.
- Brian Porteous, an American musician.
- John Porteous, a Scottish academic.
- Geoffrey Porteous, a British author.
- Ian Porteous, a Scottish actor.
- James Porteous, a British soldier.
- Stephen Porteous, a Scottish naval officer.
- William Porteous, a Canadian writer.
- Neil Porteous, an English football player.
- George Porteous, a Canadian politician.
- Alan Porteous, a Scottish professional golfer.
- Charles Porteous, a British mountaineer and explorer.
- Mark Porteous, an Australian rugby league player.
- Clive Porteous, a British diplomat.
- Jean Porteous, a Scottish-born Canadian artist.
- Andrew Porteous, a Canadian scientist.
- Geoff Porteous, a British actor.
- Neil Porteous, an English fashion designer.