Surname Pöters - Meaning and Origin
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Pöters: What does the surname Pöters mean?
The last name "Pöters" is a German surname derived from the word "potter," meaning "someone who works with pottery." It is an occupational surname, often given to people who craft pottery or clay objects. The surname may also have originated from the German word "pöttchen," which means "little pot."
The surname is relatively common and can be found throughout Germany, although its variants can also be seen in neighboring countries like Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium. Since the time of the Middle Ages, it has been a popular name for potters and other artisans who worked with clay and other pottery materials.
The coat of arms associated with the Pöters name is an image of a clay pitcher with a white bowl inside, sometimes surrounded by four blue and yellow stars. It is a fairly simple design, symbolising the art of pottery and those who belong to the name.
Pöters is still a common surname found throughout Europe and many with the name continue to practice pottery in some capacity, whether it's as a hobby, through amateur classes, or as a profession. In modern times, many Pöters have also taken up completely different occupations such as writers, teachers, and doctors.
Order DNA origin analysisPöters: Where does the name Pöters come from?
The last name Pöters is a fairly common surname in Germany today. It has been recorded in the country since the 15th century, and records show it was popular in the former Prussian provinces of Westphalia and Pomerania. It is also fairly common in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Luxembourg.
The name is believed to be of German origin, coming from a root which was used to describe an area near a river, often used to cross or ford the waters. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Old German word "Potter," which means a maker or seller of pottery.
The name has many variants, with some being spelled Pötter, Pötzers, Peuters, and Putters. These all derive from the same root, being of the same family but not carrying the same exact spelling.
Today, the spelling typically used is Pöters, or in some rare cases Pötters. It is ranked as the 173rd most common surname in Germany, with an estimated 27,000 people bearing it. The surname is also popular amongst German diasporic communities in other countries such as Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname Pöters
The surname Pöters, also spelled Poters, is a habitational name of Germanic origin from the Low German word peters meaning "small rock". Primarily found in Westfalia and southern Germany, the surname is also present in parts of the United States and Canada.
Early variants of the name included Petri, Petre, and Petrus. Common spellings of the surname Pöters are Potter, Poter, Potters, and Poteris. In some cases, the name has been adapted to a Dutch form, Pötter.
Common surnames of the same origin include Pieters, Peters, Pietersen, Petersen, Pieterse, Pettersson, Petter, Piefers, Pieter, Peiffer, Pfeffer, and Pfeifer.
Some of the earliest known record of the surname Pöters date back to the 16th century in Lower Saxony, Germany. One early bearer of the name is Johann Pöters, who was born in 1580 and was noted in the records of Pötersberg in Prussia.
In addition to being a surname, Pöters has also served as a given name. Notable people with this name include the former German Women's Handball Champion, Katrin Pöters, and the former German Army officer and politician, Annette Pöters-Reicks.
Overall, the surname Pöters is believed to be a Germanic habitational name and has many variants in terms of both spelling and origin. Variants include Poters, Potter, Poter, Potters, Poteris, Pieters, Peters, Pietersen, Petersen, Pieterse, Pettersson, Petter, Piefers, Pieter, Peiffer, Pfeffer, and Pfeifer. Early bearers of the name are recorded in the 16th century in Germany, while many people of note have shared this name, both as a given name and surname.
Famous people with the name Pöters
- Pascal Pöters, German television and film actor
- Vital Pöters, German politician, former Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Jürgen Pöters, German badminton player
- Hans Pöters, German politician and member of the Bundestag
- Walter Pöters, German jurist and president of the Supreme Administrative Court
- Thomas Pöters, German civil rights activist and documenter of the rapes of German women at the end of World War II
- Günter Pöters, German actor
- Jörg Pöters, German director, producer and actor
- Esther Pöters, German politician
- Christoph Pöters, German footballer