Surname Pendergrast - Meaning and Origin
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Pendergrast: What does the surname Pendergrast mean?
The surname Pendergrast originated from Ireland, specifically from the Gaelic surname Mac Conaing or Mac Cionaoith, translating to Son of Cúanuait. This indicated a person who was gentle, beloved, or comely. However, when Gaelic names were anglicized during the 16th and 17th centuries, Mac Conaing often became standardized as Pendergrast. Some believe “Pendergrast” could mean "son of the grizzled man" with 'pendra' translating to "head" or "outcrop" and 'grasst’ meaning "gray-haired" or "grizzled". The family originally belonged to Kilkenny before spreading across the region. There are various spelling variations for Pendergrast, including Prendergast, Prendergest, Pendergest, Prendegast, Pendegast, Pendegard, Pendygrass, and many more. Despite these variations, each version holds the same ancestral meaning.
Order DNA origin analysisPendergrast: Where does the name Pendergrast come from?
The last name Pendergrast is most likely of English origin and is now most commonly found in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, specifically in provinces such as Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Alberta. It is also found in the United States in particular, in states such as New York, California, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and Wisconsin.
The first appearance of the surname Pendergrast1790 in North America, specifically in the USA, is recorded in the New York and Ontario States, although it has since spread to other parts of the country. The earliest occurrence of the surname in the United Kingdom dates to the mid-13th century in Surrey.
Pendergrast has also been traced to Ireland, particularly to Wicklow, with various branches of the family having emigrated throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. It is believed that the surname arrived in Ireland through Scottish migrations, with the early documented occurrences of Pendergrast in Scotland dating back to 1517.
Today, Pendergrast remains a fairly common surname in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. To better understand its distribution, DNA research has recently focussed on the geographical concentration of Pendergrast-surname carriers. While it seems to be most common in the United Kingdom, researchers have found that it is also prevalent in Canada and the United States. Currently, there are over 2,600 individuals who carry the Pendergrast surname living throughout the world.
Variations of the surname Pendergrast
The surname Pendergrast has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of a similar origin. Variations in spelling that are documented include Pendergrass, Pendergast, Pendergist, Pendergest, Pendegrass and Pendergrast. Other surnames of a similar origin are Pendengraft, Pendregast, and Pendredgrast.
The surname Pendergrast originates from the Middle English word ‘pender’ meaning ‘parable’ or ‘soul’. The first recorded spelling of the surname was that of Robert de Pendergrave, which was dated 1296, in the ‘Feet of Fines’ for Sussex. The origin of the surname is thought to derive from the exposure of the family to the bookstore books of the time, which contained stories, morality tales and parables. It could also be from someone who lived by a road or crossroads.
The associated arms are recorded in W. Bernard Burke’s General Armory with the blazon of a per chevron embattled silver and red, two pheons counterchanged, Crest- A red griffin rampant holding between its claws a pheon argent. The first recorded bearer of the arms was William de Pendergast who claimed descent from the family of the Baron of Pau (as recorded in ‘Norman People,’ 115) in Normandy.
In some cases, the origin of the surname Pendergrast is from the Greek god Pindar, immortalised in poetry as Pindar of Thebes. This is evidenced in a 1612 transcript of the services provided by Pendergrast to Lord Thomas Witheridge, for which the payment was ‘ten shillings and four-pence, as it is said, for a book of Pindaris’.
The widespread distribution of the surname Pendergrast suggests that it was adopted by families from many countries and it believed to have first arisen in the British Isles. From the British Isles, the name spread to the continent and to America, Australia and New Zealand. It was also adopted by families in Ireland, Germany, and Sweden, as well as by those of other nationalities.
Famous people with the name Pendergrast
- John Pendergrast: American actor who appeared in 26 films and TV series in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Chris Pendergrast: former baseball player in the NCAA, who played college ball for St. Mary's College of California.
- Connie Pendergrast: Australian tennis player, acclaimed for her serve-and-volley style of play and over 30 singles titles.
- Douglas Pendergrast: American football player who played in the NFL from 1959: 1965.
- Sarah Pendergrast: British actress who is perhaps best known for her roles in the films "The Magicians" and "The Constant Gardener".
- Kenneth Pendergrast: Canadian army officer who served as the Commander of the Canadian Army during the Korean War.
- Barbara Pendergrast: Australian architect and urban planner.
- Pearl Pendergrast: British radio presenter who was the co-host of the popular "Loose Lips" show in the 1930s.
- Michael Pendergrast: acclaimed American artist best known for his abstract painting and installations.
- James Pendergrast: Canadian entrepreneur who is the founder and chairman of the Canadian wine empire, Pender Estates.