Surname Pinter - Meaning and Origin

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D. Pinter

Pinter: What does the surname Pinter mean?

Pinter is a surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin stemming from the Hungarian word "pintér", which translates to "cooper" or "barrel maker" in English. This occupation-based surname was often bestowed on people who made or repaired barrels, casks, buckets and tubs. The name is fairly common in Hungary, due to the once widespread practice of naming Jewish families after occupations or personal attributes. The most famous bearer of this surname was Harold Pinter, the renowned English playwright, director, and actor, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. It's important to note that not everyone with the surname Pinter is of Jewish descent or identifies as Jewish, as surnames can change for a variety of reasons over the course of generations.

Pinter: Where does the name Pinter come from?

The last name Pinter is most common today in Hungary and Slovakia. In Hungary, it is the 25th most common surname. In Slovakia, it is the 32nd most common surname.

The surname Pinter is associated with a Hebrew origin, with the meaning of a fish merchant or trader. Many Pinter families settled in Hungary during the 1700s and 1800s, likely coming from Austria, Slovakia, Germany, and Czech Republic. The surname became most common in these countries during the late 1800s.

Variations of the surname Pinter include Pintner, Pentner, Pinterz, Pandak and Pinteroff. These spellings can be found in North and South America, Australia, and multiple countries in Europe. The variations likely stem from different immigration patterns and language differences due to a wide diaspora settling in different countries.

It is likely that the surname came from the Hungarian word “pintér”, which refers to someone with the occupation of a fishmonger, as well as the German word “pentner”, which means merchant.

Today, the last name Pinter can be found in Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, and Israel. It is a fairly widespread surname, with people of various different backgrounds and religions transmitting the name.

Variations of the surname Pinter

The surname Pinter is of Germanic origin and has various variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.

The most common variants of the surname Pinter are Painter (variant of Paynter) and Pindar (also known as Pyndar or Pynter). Of these variants, Painter is the most common, and is derived from the Old English word ‘painter’, meaning ‘potter’ or ‘builder’.

Other surname variations of Pinter include Pontor, Pointon, Pindell, and Pinnder. Pindell and Pointon can be traced back to the Norman spelling of Pinter, which was Pinetre.

The diversified spellings of Pinter include Pentar, Penter, Pentre, Pintar, Pinto, and Pendall. All of these spellings are derived from the Latin penter, meaning ‘builder’.

The surname Pinter appears in numerous countries such as Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. In Hungary, an alternate spelling for the surname is Pentar, while in Germany, it is spelled Pintner.

In Austria, the Pinter surname is spelled Pintar, while in Italy it is most commonly spelled Pinto.

The spelling Pinter is also found in France and Scandinavia. The French variation of Pinter is Payantre or Pentere, while the Scandinavian variant is Pindel.

In conclusion, the surname Pinter has several variants, spellings, and associated surnames. The most common variants of the surname are Painter and Pindar, with the diversified spellings beingPontor, Pointon, Pindell, Pinnder, Pentar, Penter, Pentre, Pintar, Pinto, and Pendall.

Famous people with the name Pinter

• Harold Pinter (1930–2008), British Nobel Prize-winning playwright and screenwriter.
• Enda Pinter (1969–), Irish actress, director, and theatre practitioner.
• Joseph Pinter (1922–1996), American aviator.
• Mark Pinter (1945–2016), American actor, director, and musician.
• Raymond Pinter (1927–2003), American painter, sculptor, and printmaker.
• Stefan Pinter (1955– ), Austrian football manager.
• Tom Pinter (1960– ), American playwright and artistic director of First Folio Theatre.
• Jozsef Pinter (1899–), Hungarian sculptor.
• Antal Pinter (1963–), Hungarian cyclist.
• József Pinter (1930– ), Hungarian mathematician and number theorist.
• John Pinter (1953– ), American purchasing and logistics professional.
• Jon Pinter (1977– ), British watercolour painter.
• Pat Pinter (1947– ), American professional wrestler.
• Leon Pinter (1939– ), American professor emeritus of music.
• Darren Pinter (1975– ), American professional golfer.

Other surnames

PaalPaalenPaalsPaandiPaapPaapePaaschPaaschePaaschenPaavilainenPabstPäbstPabstmannPabusPacaciPaceleyPacettiPacettyPachPachecoPachicoPachmannPachmayerPachmayrPachtelPachtellPachterPächterPaciecco