Surname Potten - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'P'
Potten: What does the surname Potten mean?
The last name Potten is of English and Dutch/Flemish origin. It is believed to have originated from the Dutch word "potte", which means a pot or vase, and simply refers to someone who is a potter. It’s also believed to be a topographic name for someone who lived near a clay pot.
The earliest known record of the name was in 1209 in Northeimermedest on the island of Schouwen in the Netherlands. Through the late 19th century, the name spread to many countries ranging from the Netherlands to Germany to England. In England, the name is more commonly known with its variant, Potter.
The name Potter is also an occupational name and in English, it was derived from Old English and Middle English via Old French. It was originally a "maker of pottery,” and dates back to the early 11th century.
Given its popularity and the different etymologies, there can be no one definite origin of the name. However, it’s often considered a patronymic name for the descendants of a potter.
Regardless of the origin, the name Potten carries a sense of warmth and friendliness to it. It’s strong yet gentle and suggests someone who works with their hands to create objects of convenience or beauty.
Order DNA origin analysisPotten: Where does the name Potten come from?
The surname Potten is common today primarily in the Netherlands, with some variants suggested by surname sources such as Poten and Pott. Potten is a Dutch toponymic surname, meaning “of Pott,” with Pott being an ancient settlement in the province of North Brabant. According to surname resources, people bearing the surname Potten were first found in this region.
Today, the Netherlands is home to the vast majority of those with the surname Potten, particularly near the provinces of Zeeland, South Holland, and North Brabant. According to location-based surname resources, Potten is considered relatively uncommon throughout the rest of Western Europe. Though most of the individuals bearing this surname currently reside in the Netherlands, it is possible to find the surname abroad, most notably in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. In the United States, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania are among the states with the highest concentration of Pottens, as seen in the United States Social Security Administration’s (SSA) data from 2018. The United Kingdom also had a high concentration of Pottens, particularly in the England and Wales region according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the same year.
In conclusion, the surname Potten is still common today, mostly found in the Netherlands and also in the bigger countries of the Western world, such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
Variations of the surname Potten
Potten is a surname that originates from the Middle English term “Potte”, meaning a pot-maker, indicating someone who would have been in the occupation of making pots. This surname is found mostly in the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, and the U.S. and is also sometimes spelled Potts, Pott or Pot.
Variants of the surname Potten are Potton, Pottenger and Pottinger. In the United States the variants of Potten are found mostly in New England and also occasionally in the Southern states.
The potter surname often originates from Old English and Middle English variations, such as Pottere, Pottur, Pottar, Potere, Pettar, Pottere, Potley, Pottler, and Pottem, as well as in Ireland, Potane and Potte.
The surname Potten is found predominantly in the Netherlands and Germany and is also found in England, Scotland and Wales as well as Canada and Australia. It is particularly prevalent in Lancashire and Yorkshire counties in England.
Variants of this name in Germany and Netherlands are Potten, Potman, Potmes, Pottmes, Potmanns, Potmens and Potmans.
In Ireland, Potten is mainly found in County Mayo and County Roscommon. It is sometimes spelled Potten or Poten and is also found in the form of Pottinger.
In Scotland, Pottinger is the most commonly seen spelling, although the surname is also sometimes found as Potaner, Pottinger, Powell, Pottinger, Peterson and Poattinger.
In Australia, the spelling Potten is most commonly used and is also sometimes found as Pottinger, Pottrey and Pottenger.
The surname Potten is a rare one. It is found mostly in the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Canada and Australia, with various spellings and variant surnames.
Famous people with the name Potten
- Philip Potten: a British author, composer, pianist and conductor
- William Potten: an English physician, botanist, geologist and naturalist
- Trista Potten: a former British basketball player and two-time Olympian
- Joanne Potten: an Irish YouTuber and author
- David Potten: an Australian author, playwright and actor
- Marc Potten: a Belgian computer scientist, artist and designer
- Matthew Potten: a British Olympic diver from the 2016 Rio Olympics
- Rob Potten: a Dutch sculptor
- Darryl Potten: an American photographer and filmmaker
- Sarah Potten: a former American soccer player and a two-time all-American
- Jean-Claude Potten: a French politician and historian