Of all the surnames which derive from the saints and disciples of the Christian church, 'Petros' meaning 'The rock' has provided the world with the greatest number of both given names and the later medieval surnames. In their different spellings ranging from Peter, Pieter, and Pierre, to patronymics Peterson, Peters, Peres, Perez, Peers, and even the Armenian Bedrosian, to diminutives such as Poschel, Piotrek, Petrenko, and Pietrusska, there are estimated to be over seven hundred spellings. At least one form appears as a popular surname in every European country.
The original name was Greek, and Christ chose Peter to be 'the rock' on which the church was to be founded. The name became very popular in Europe following the twelve 'crusades' of the early medieval period, when various kings sought to free the Holy Land. Thereafter the name spread to every country, replacing the original 'local' names. Early examples of the surname recording taken from authentic registers in both Europe and the Americas include Luke Petre of London, England, in 1282, William Petres of Somerset, England, in 1327, Andres Guillen Perez, at Aguaron, Zaragoza, Spain, on December 7th 1565, Martina Josepha Perez, of Santa Catarina, Mexico, on December 23rd 1775, and Antonio Diego Peres, who married Maria Ysabel Yorba, at San Gabriel, Los Angeles, on January 4th 1864. The coat of arms has the blazon of a red field, a cross flory between four fleur de lis, all gold. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ralph Peter, which was dated 1195, in the pipe rolls of the county of Hertford, during the reign of King Richard 1st of England, known as 'Lion-heart', 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Research into the possible origins of petera leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname petera, and in addition to the original locations of petera, we can find out where people with the surname petera can currently be found.
There is a considerable probability that petera has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where petera is most abundant are the following. The mobility of people carrying the surname petera has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named petera are found in every look back in the history of this lineage. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname petera are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of petera could be modified. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname petera or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of petera.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname petera, even though not all have been documented to our present day. A surname like petera can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname petera who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname petera, which allows us to learn more about its meaning. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname petera, as well as many other surnames.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of petera, and at the same time, of surnames in general.