Peters
The origin of the surname Peters
Peters means “son of Peter,” from the Greek for “rock.”
What kind of surname is Peters?
As a patronymic surname, the surname Peters was formed from a father's or ancestor's personal name — the single largest way hereditary surnames arose across Europe. Before family names became fixed, a man was often known as the son of his father (for example “John, son of Robert”), and over generations that link hardened into an inherited surname. Different cultures marked the relationship differently: English and Scandinavian names added “-son”, Irish and Scottish used “Mac” or “O’”, Slavic languages added “-ov”, “-ev” or “-vich”, and many languages simply reused the father's name unchanged. A patronymic surname therefore points back to a founding ancestor rather than a place or an occupation.
How German surnames work
German surnames became fixed mainly between the 12th and 16th centuries and are strongly occupational (Müller, “miller”; Schmidt, “smith”; Schneider, “tailor”) and descriptive (Klein, “small”; Braun, “brown”), alongside patronymic and locational names. Müller, Schmidt and Schneider are among the most common surnames in the German-speaking world, reflecting how universal those trades once were.
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Peters mean?
The surname Peters means Son of Peter. Peters means “son of Peter,” from the Greek for “rock.”
Where does the surname Peters come from?
Peters is a surname of German origin.
What kind of surname is Peters?
Peters is a patronymic surname, derived from a father's or ancestor's given name.
How common is the surname Peters in the United States?
Peters is the 190th most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 134,231 people.