Do you have a last name starting with P? You are not alone. P is one of the most common letters for family names. It shows up in almost every culture on earth.
This guide covers it all. We will explore Spanish surnames, Hispanic last names, Mexican family names, Polish surnames, Italian last names, and even names from Asia and India. We will also meet famous people who carry a P last name.
Last Names That Start With P

This table blends cultures together. You will see English, Greek, Welsh, French, and more. It is a strong starting point for anyone curious about P surnames.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Parker | Park keeper | English |
| Peterson | Son of Peter | Scandinavian |
| Phillips | Son of Philip | Greek |
| Powell | Son of Howell | Welsh |
| Price | Son of Rhys | Welsh |
| Perry | Pear tree | English |
| Pierce | Son of Piers | English |
| Prudhomme | Wise man | French |
| Papadopoulos | Son of a priest | Greek |
| Patel | Land owner | Indian |
| Payne | Country dweller | English |
| Pearson | Son of Peter | English |
| Perkins | Son of Peter | English |
| Petrov | Son of Peter | Russian |
| Plummer | Feather worker | English |
| Pollard | Short hair | English |
| Poole | Lives near a pool | English |
| Pope | Father figure | Latin |
| Porter | Gatekeeper | English |
| Potter | Pot maker | English |
| Prescott | Priest’s cottage | English |
| Preston | Priest’s town | English |
| Pryce | Bold leader | Welsh |
| Putnam | Lives near a pit | English |
| Page | Young helper | French |
| Palmer | Pilgrim traveler | English |
| Park | Enclosed land | English |
| Parsons | Son of a parson | English |
| Paulson | Son of Paul | Scandinavian |
| Pratt | Clever trick | English |
| Prewitt | Brave one | English |
| Purcell | Little pig | French |
| Pyle | Stake or post | English |
| Pyne | Pine tree | English |
| Pace | Peaceful one | Italian-English |
Spanish Family Last Names That Start With P
Spanish surnames are bold and full of meaning. Many come from land features. Others reflect a family trade or trait.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pacheco | From Pacheco village | Spanish |
| Padilla | Small frying pan | Spanish |
| Pagan | Country dweller | Spanish |
| Palacio | Palace dweller | Spanish |
| Palomino | Young dove | Spanish |
| Pardo | Brown or gray | Spanish |
| Paredes | Stone walls | Spanish |
| Parra | Grapevine | Spanish |
| Paz | Peace | Spanish |
| Pedraza | Rocky place | Spanish |
| Pedrosa | Stony ground | Spanish |
| Pena | Rocky cliff | Spanish |
| Peralta | High rock | Spanish |
| Pereda | Pear tree grove | Spanish |
| Perez | Son of Pedro | Spanish |
| Piedra | Stone or rock | Spanish |
| Pineda | Pine forest | Spanish |
| Pinto | Painted or spotted | Spanish |
| Pizarro | Slate stone | Spanish |
| Placencia | Pleasant place | Spanish |
| Plaza | Public square | Spanish |
| Poblete | Small village | Spanish |
| Polanco | From Polanco town | Spanish |
| Portillo | Mountain pass | Spanish |
| Posada | Inn or lodging | Spanish |
| Prado | Meadow or field | Spanish |
| Prieto | Dark complexion | Spanish |
| Puente | Bridge | Spanish |
| Pulido | Polished or neat | Spanish |
| Pujol | Small hill | Catalan |
| Puig | Hill | Catalan |
| Pardo | Grayish brown | Galician |
| Paniagua | Bread and water | Spanish |
| Peña | Steep rock | Spanish |
| Pino | Pine tree | Spanish |
Hispanic Last Names That Start With P

Hispanic surnames carry strong family pride. They stretch across Spain and all of Latin America. Each one hides a small story.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pacheco | From Pacheco village | Spanish |
| Padilla | Small valley | Spanish |
| Palomino | Young dove | Spanish |
| Paredes | Stone walls | Spanish |
| Paz | Peace | Spanish |
| Pedraza | Rocky place | Spanish |
| Pedrosa | Rocky land | Portuguese |
| Pena | Rocky cliff | Spanish |
| Peralta | High rock | Spanish |
| Perdomo | Lost man | Spanish |
| Pereira | Pear tree | Portuguese |
| Perez | Son of Pedro | Spanish |
| Pineda | Pine forest | Spanish |
| Pinto | Painted one | Spanish |
| Pizarro | Magpie bird | Spanish |
| Plaza | Public square | Spanish |
| Pompa | Pomp and glory | Spanish |
| Ponce | Fifth child | Spanish |
| Porras | Wooden club | Spanish |
| Portillo | Mountain pass | Spanish |
| Posada | Inn or lodging | Spanish |
| Prado | Green meadow | Spanish |
| Prieto | Dark complexion | Spanish |
| Pulido | Polished one | Spanish |
| Puente | Bridge | Spanish |
| Puebla | Town or village | Spanish |
| Puga | Sharp point | Spanish |
| Pujol | Small hill | Catalan |
| Palacio | Palace | Spanish |
| Pedroza | Rocky terrain | Spanish |
| Piña | Pineapple | Spanish |
| Peguero | Tar maker | Dominican |
| Pichardo | Noble born | Spanish |
| Polanco | Marsh town | Spanish |
| Pumar | Apple tree | Galician |
Mexican Last Names That Start With P

Mexico blends Spanish surnames with native Nahuatl words. This mix creates some of the richest P names on this whole list.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pacheco | From Pacheco village | Spanish |
| Padilla | Small estate | Spanish |
| Palomino | Young dove | Spanish |
| Paredes | Stone walls | Spanish |
| Parra | Grapevine | Spanish |
| Paz | Peace | Spanish |
| Pedraza | Rocky place | Spanish |
| Pedroza | Rocky land | Spanish |
| Pena | Rocky cliff | Spanish |
| Peralta | High rock | Spanish |
| Perez | Son of Pedro | Spanish |
| Piedra | Stone | Spanish |
| Pineda | Pine forest | Spanish |
| Pizarro | Magpie bird | Spanish |
| Plaza | Public square | Spanish |
| Poblano | From Puebla | Spanish |
| Polo | Brave wanderer | Spanish |
| Ponce | Fifth child | Spanish |
| Portillo | Mountain pass | Spanish |
| Posadas | Inns or lodges | Spanish |
| Prado | Meadow | Spanish |
| Prieto | Dark complexion | Spanish |
| Pulido | Polished or neat | Spanish |
| Puente | Bridge | Spanish |
| Puga | Sharp point | Spanish |
| Palma | Palm tree | Spanish |
| Pantoja | From Pantoja village | Spanish |
| Pastrana | Pasture land | Spanish |
| Plascencia | Pleasant place | Spanish |
| Pipil | Ancient people | Nahuatl |
| Pixqui | Harvest one | Nahuatl |
| Popoca | Smoking one | Nahuatl |
| Patlan | Flat land | Nahuatl |
| Pech | Tick insect | Mayan |
| Pat | Small bird | Mayan |
Polish Family Names Starting With P
Polish surnames are strong and old. Many come from Slavic roots. Others reflect jobs, places, or nature itself.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pawlak | Son of Pawel | Polish |
| Pawlowski | From Pawlow village | Polish |
| Pajak | Spider | Polish |
| Palka | Stick or club | Polish |
| Partyka | From Saint Patrick | Polish |
| Pasek | Belt or strap | Polish |
| Perkowski | From Perkowo village | Polish |
| Piatek | Friday | Polish |
| Piechota | Foot soldier | Polish |
| Piekarski | Baker | Polish |
| Pietrzak | Son of Piotr | Polish |
| Piotrowski | From Piotrowo village | Polish |
| Piwowar | Beer brewer | Polish |
| Plonka | Flame or fire | Polish |
| Poblocki | From Poblocie village | Polish |
| Podgorski | Below the mountain | Polish |
| Polak | Polish person | Polish |
| Polkowski | From Polkowo village | Polish |
| Poplawski | Marshy meadow | Polish |
| Porebski | From a clearing | Polish |
| Potocki | From the stream | Polish |
| Poznanski | From Poznan city | Polish |
| Prokop | Progressive one | Polish |
| Przybylski | One who arrived | Polish |
| Przybyszewski | Newcomer | Polish |
| Pulaski | From Pulawy town | Polish |
| Pyrzak | From Pyrzyce town | Polish |
| Pilch | Elm tree | Polish |
| Pluta | Rainy weather | Polish |
| Podolski | From Podolia region | Polish |
| Pruszynski | From Pruszyn village | Polish |
| Przybylak | Newly arrived | Polish |
| Ptak | Bird | Polish |
| Piasecki | Sandy place | Polish |
| Popek | Small priest | Polish |
Italian Last Names That Start With P

Italian last names are full of art and rhythm. Many trace back to a city, a trade, or a personal trait.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pagano | Rural dweller | Italian |
| Palermo | From Palermo city | Italian |
| Palmieri | Palm tree grower | Italian |
| Paolini | Son of Paolo | Italian |
| Pappalardo | Eater of lard | Italian |
| Parisi | From Paris or noble | Italian |
| Pastore | Shepherd | Italian |
| Pellegrini | Pilgrim traveler | Italian |
| Pepe | Pepper seller | Italian |
| Perrone | Large rock | Italian |
| Pesce | Fish or fisherman | Italian |
| Piacenza | Pleasant place | Italian |
| Piccolo | Small one | Italian |
| Pignataro | Pot maker | Italian |
| Pisano | From Pisa city | Italian |
| Pizzo | Lace maker | Italian |
| Poggio | Hill or mound | Italian |
| Politi | Civic man | Italian |
| Pontillo | Small bridge | Italian |
| Porpora | Purple color | Italian |
| Porto | Harbor | Italian |
| Prandini | Brave and bold | Italian |
| Priore | Church leader | Italian |
| Profumo | Fragrance maker | Italian |
| Provenzano | From Provence region | Italian |
| Pugliese | From Puglia region | Italian |
| Pulvirenti | Dusty land | Italian |
| Puopolo | Community person | Italian |
| Purpura | Purple dye maker | Italian |
| Puzzuoli | From Pozzuoli city | Italian |
| Panetta | Bread maker | Italian |
| Pisa | From Pisa | Italian |
| Piras | Pear tree | Italian |
| Pizzuto | Pointed one | Italian |
| Pontecorvo | Curved bridge | Italian |
Asian And Indian Last Names That Start With P

Not every P surname comes from Europe. Many strong names come from India, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines.
| Last Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Patel | Land owner | Indian |
| Pham | Family clan | Vietnamese |
| Park | Bright place | Korean |
| Pan | Wood board | Chinese |
| Peng | Big bird | Chinese |
| Poon | Companion | Chinese |
| Prasad | Divine gift | Indian |
| Pillai | Child or son | Indian |
| Pandey | Learned priest | Indian |
| Prakash | Light or shine | Indian |
| Padmanabhan | Lotus navel | Indian |
| Pradhan | Chief or leader | Indian |
| Puri | City dweller | Indian |
| Purohit | Family priest | Indian |
| Panchal | Skilled worker | Indian |
| Phan | Family name | Vietnamese |
| Pha | Rock | Vietnamese |
| Phung | Phoenix | Vietnamese |
| Pundir | Warrior clan | Indian |
| Pillay | Noble child | Tamil |
| Ponnusamy | Golden god | Tamil |
| Parmar | Ruling clan | Indian |
| Prabhu | Lord or master | Indian |
| Pawar | Fire born | Indian |
| Punjabi | From Punjab region | Indian |
| Poblete | Filipino settler | Filipino |
| Pascual | Easter born | Filipino |
| Pineda | Pine forest | Filipino |
| Pangilinan | From a clan group | Filipino |
| Padua | From Padua city | Filipino |
| Peralta | High rock | Filipino |
| Pagulayan | Trading place | Filipino |
| Puno | Full or complete | Filipino |
| Perez | Son of Pedro | Filipino |
| Poon | Companion | Cantonese |
Famous People With A P Last Name
Some P surnames belong to well-known faces. Actors, athletes, and public figures carry this popular letter into the spotlight.
| Name | Known For | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Brad Pitt | Actor and producer | American |
| Natalie Portman | Actress | Israeli-American |
| Chris Pratt | Actor | American |
| Joaquin Phoenix | Actor | American |
| River Phoenix | Actor | American |
| Sarah Jessica Parker | Actress | American |
| Peyton Manning | Football player | American |
| Katy Perry | Singer | American |
| Michael Phelps | Swimmer | American |
| Rosa Parks | Civil rights leader | American |
| Sean Penn | Actor | American |
| Millie Bobby Brown Parker | Character actress | American |
| Fred Perry | Tennis champion | British |
| Amanda Peet | Actress | American |
| Zachary Pearson | Musician | British |
| Elvis Presley | Singer | American |
| Freddie Prinze Jr. | Actor | American |
| Joe Pesci | Actor | Italian-American |
| Tyler Perry | Actor and director | American |
| Bill Pullman | Actor | American |
| Luke Perry | Actor | American |
| Matthew Perry | Actor | American |
| Michael J. Pollard | Actor | American |
| Aaron Paul | Actor | American |
| Chazz Palminteri | Actor | Italian-American |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | Actress | American |
| Rain Phoenix | Musician | American |
| Jack Palance | Actor | American |
| Estelle Parsons | Actress | American |
| Dolly Parton | Singer | American |
| Nick Park | Animator | British |
| Gordon Parks | Photographer | American |
| Anthony Perkins | Actor | American |
| Regina Porter | Author | American |
| Suzanne Pleshette | Actress | American |
Final Thoughts
P last names are rich and varied. They come from Spain, Poland, Italy, India, and beyond. Each one holds a small window into the past.
Whether you are searching for a baby name, tracing your family history, or just curious, this list gives you real options. Common does not mean boring. In fact, it means connected. A P surname links you to millions of stories across the world.
So next time you write your name, think about it. Somewhere behind that letter is a real history.
FAQs
What is the most common last name that starts with P?
Parker and Perez rank among the most common P surnames worldwide.
Do P last names come from one culture only?
No. They come from English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Indian, and many more roots.
What do most P surnames mean?
Most point to a job, a place, or a family line passed down over time.
Are P last names rare or common?
Both. Names like Patel and Parker are common. Names like Prudhomme are quite rare.
Can a last name reveal family origin?
Yes. Most surnames carry clues about a family’s region, culture, and background.
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