Surname Polly - Meaning and Origin
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Polly: What does the surname Polly mean?
The surname Polly is of English origin and is derived from the personal name Paul. The name Paul comes from the Roman family name Paulus, which means "small" or "humble" in Latin. Therefore, the surname Polly could symbolically mean "descendant of the humble one." Over the centuries, the name has occurred in various forms including Polly, Polley, Poley, Pooley, and others due to changes in spelling and pronunciation. It's important to note that surnames originally served as identifiers, indicating an individual's parentage, occupation, or place of residence. Thus, the exact meaning of the name Polly can also depend on its historical and geographical contexts.
Order DNA origin analysisPolly: Where does the name Polly come from?
The last name Polly is most commonly found today in the United States, particularly in the southern and southeastern states. It is also found in smaller numbers throughout the rest of the country and in scattered areas outside the US. Historically, Polly has been an extremely common surname, and it’s still fairly widespread today.
In the US, the greatest frequency of Polly is in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. These four states have the greatest number of Polly households, amounting to over half the total number of Polly households in the US. Other states with high incidence include Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina, all with about 1% of the total Polly households in the US.
Outside the US, the last name Polly is found in smaller numbers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These countries have far fewer Polly households than the US, but the percentage of the population with the last name still makes it a relatively common surname.
In the US, the most common variants of the surname, such as Pollie and Pollia, are concentrated largely in the same states and general area of the Southeast. Other variants, such as the French Polli and Italian Pallo, are found in much lower concentrations throughout the US, with no statistically significant clusters seeming to exist.
Overall, the surname Polly is still a relatively common last name across the US and parts of the world. The US is the one area of concentration where the surname is most prevalent, but it still appears to be a common surname in other countries.
Variations of the surname Polly
The surname Polly is derived from the Greek word 'polloi' which means 'many' and is commonly used as a nickname for people with large families. Variations of this surname include Pollie, Polli, Pollay, Polla, Poll, Polloi, Pollio, Pollaio, Polloi, Pollett, Pollitt, and Polley. Common surnames of the same origin include Poletti, Pollock, Pollocky, Pollot, Polletti, Pallot, and Palotti.
The spelling of the surname has varied over time. In earlier times, the surnames were spelled as Pollay or Pollayo in Scotland, Poley in England, and Polley or Pollot in Ireland. As time passed, these spellings gradually blurred together. More recent spellings of the surname include Pollie, Polli, Polla and Poll.
There are various spelling variations of the surname depending on the ancestor's native country. In Germany, for instance, the surname is spelled Poletti, in France it is spelled Pollaire or Pallaire, and in Italy, the surname is often spelled as Polletti or Pallot.
In addition to the spelling variations, the surname has also been altered through the use of nicknames or shortened versions. Common nicknames for the Polly surname include Polly, Pace, Pol, Pappi, and Solly.
The Polly surname has also been adapted to various cultures, with the use of different spellings or surnames with the same root. Examples include the Scottish surname Pollock, the English Pollot, and the Italian surnames Poletti and Polletti.
It is also possible that the surname may have been adopted from an entirely different source. For example, in Scotland it is sometimes seen as a variation of Pollack, a surname associated with Jewish ancestry or origins.
Overall, the surname Polly is a common surname that has seen many spelling variations and adaptations over time. Its origin is rooted in the Greek word 'polloi' meaning 'many' and is often associated with large families. Various other spellings and surnames of the same origin can also be found due to cultural or religious influences.
Famous people with the name Polly
- Emma Polly: Influencer, model and author from Scotland.
- Keren Polly: British Paralympic swimmer
- Michael Polly: American actor and musician
- Donny Polly: South African cricketer
- General John Nicholas Polly: United States Army general and former Chief of the National Guard Bureau
- Dr. John E. Polly: Professor of Biochemistry at University of Arkansas
- Lorraine Polly: British singer and songwriter
- Gillian Polly: English actress
- Willie Polly: American professional baseball player
- David C. Polly Jr.: American paleontologist and biologist
- Charles Polly: Australian racing cyclist
- Harry Alice Polly: An African American physician mentioned as a leader in the National Council of Colored Women
- Calvert A. Polly: American farmer, businessman, and politician
- Chris Polly: British songwriter and record producer based in the UK
- Amanda Polly: Irish judoka
- Jojo Pollie: Dutch singer-songwriter
- Jim Pollie: American professional wrestler
- Bob Pollie: American filmmaker
- David Polly: American author and former editor of Scientific American