Surname Pitkin - Meaning and Origin

Pitkin: What does the surname Pitkin mean?

The last name Pitkin is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to be derived from an Old English word meaning "dweller near a hollow or pit". It is also derived from the Old English word ‘pic’ which referred to a pitchfork or pitch pipe.

The surname was quite popular in medieval England and was used to identify people who lived near a hollow or pit such as a coal mine. The specific geographic area where the Pitkin surname originated is unknown, however it can be assumed that it originated in an area with many pit-like characteristics.

The Annals of the Pitkins, published in 1695, is a book of records of the Pitkin family of Elburton in Devon, England. It is believed that the family of Pitkins were among the earliest emigrants to come to American in 1630, settling in what is now Massachusetts.

Today, the Pitkin surname is found throughout the United States, with its highest concentrations being found in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Illinois. It is also found in other countries such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and France.

The Pitkin surname is an interesting one and is a testament to the enduring strength of the Anglo-Saxon culture. It was a common last name that can still be found in many parts of the world today.

Pitkin: Where does the name Pitkin come from?

The last name Pitkin can be found in multiple locations across the United States today. It is most commonly found in the New England states, such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Pitkin is also found throughout the Midwest, primarily in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Additionally, Pitkin is even found in California.

Despite its prevalence throughout the United States, the last name is still most associated with the small town of East Hampton, Connecticut. The town was founded as "Pitkins Enfield" in 1767 by lottery-winners Captain Japheth Pitkin and Colonel Enos Talcott. It was renamed "East Hampton" in 1767, but the Pitkin name and legacy live on in the street names and cemetery markers throughout the town.

The name Pitkin also has its legacy in other New England towns. A few towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts have streets named Pitkin Hill and Pitkin Avenue, as well as Pitkin Hill Rd in New Jersey. Connecticut also has the well-known Pitkin Glassworks historic district in South Windsor.

Today, the Pitkin name remains in the United States. Pitkin is not currently a common name, but its origins and legacy live on throughout multiple states in the United States, primarily with small pockets in the New England region.

Variations of the surname Pitkin

Pitkin is an English-derived surname. It is believed to have been derived from the Middle English 'Pytkyn', a nickname for a 'tough little man'. Variant spellings of the surname Pitkin include Petkin, Pitkinne, Pietkin, Pantkin, Petkinne, Pitkinen and Pitkins. Alternatively, some may spell it as Pitkin, Pittkin, Piotkin, Petkain, Pytken, Pitkine, Pitkinne, Petken, Pitkeen, Petkeene, Pitkeyn, Petkeyn, Petkenne, Pantkeen and Pantkeyn.

In some cases, Pitkin may also be found as a variant of another name. For example, variants of the German surname Putzkin include Putkin, Patkin, Petkin, Putzken, Petzkin and Petzke. Similarly, variants of the Polish surname Pietka include Pietkowicz, Pietkiewcz, Pietkiewicz, Pietkowiak, Patronik, Patrunek, Putnik and Piottek.

The generational variation of the surname Pitkin has also resulted in minor spelling variations. In some cases, the surname is spelled as Pitkan, Pytkan and Petkan by some people of Finnish descent. In the past, the Dutch spelling was Pijtkin, while the Scandinavian spelling was Den Pidsson.

Overall, there are numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Pitkin. Although some of these spellings are more commonly found than others, all of them can be traced back to the Middle English 'Pytkyn'.

Famous people with the name Pitkin

• William Pitkin Sr.: American lawyer and politician from Connecticut who served as the Secretary of State from 1758 to 1762.
• William Pitkin Jr.: American politician, lawyer, and Revolutionary War hero from Connecticut. He was the 12th Governor of Connecticut from 1796 to 1809.
• Chris Pitkin: American retired air force colonel. He currently serves as Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard.
• Gurdon S. Pitkin: Alumnus of Yale College and Union Theological Seminary in New York City before becoming a pastor of Congregational churches in New England.
• Walter Pitkin: American writer and psychologist. He authored the self-help book Live and Learn and Make Money (1932).
• Charles L. Pitkin: American industrialist and philanthropist who founded Pitkin Glass Works in 1892.
• John Pitkin Norton: American mathematical physicist best known for his work on electricity, thermodynamics, and wave mechanics.
• Mary Elizabeth Pitkin: American librarian, philanthropist, and civic leader who devoted her life to libraries and education.
• Ella Rebecca Pitkin: American philanthropist and environmentalist, who was one of the founders of the National Audubon Society.
• Francis Marion Pitkin: American politician from Colorado who served in both chambers of the legislature from 1865 to 1878.

Other surnames

Pitkins