Surname Paesch - Meaning and Origin

Paesch: What does the surname Paesch mean?

The last name Paesch is of German origin and is derived from the German term "paschen," which means "to fence, enclose, or protect." The spelling of the name is generally associated with the Low German dialect spoken in the region of West and East Frisia in northwestern Germany. Historically, the name Paesch may have been used to refer to a person from a village or estate that was surrounded by a fence.

The name Paesch can also be associated with the term “pasche,” which means “totem” or “clan leader.” It has been noted that the original bearers of this name likely had the role of aComites patroni or local protector.

The Paesch surname is a fairly rare one, but those who do bear the name tend to be of German descent. Over the last century, the Paesch name has seen some slight variations, such as “Paeshe” or “Pasch,” which can often indicate a branch of a family tree.

Today, many descendants of the name Paesch continue to call Germany home. However, in recent decades, members of the Paesch family have migrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia in search of a better life.

Paesch: Where does the name Paesch come from?

The last name Paesch is perhaps most associated with Germany, where the earliest known recorded uses of the surname were found in the 14th century in areas such as Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Today, the name is still most commonly found throughout the German states, mainly in the North-West, specifically in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Additionally, some Paeschs have migrated out of Germany and can be found throughout other countries, including the U.S., Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

The U.S. is home to one of the largest communities of Paeschs outside of Germany. Immigrants from Germany settled in the U.S. during the 1700s and 1800s, with the earliest known recorded Paesch in the U.S. being found in South Carolina in 1820. Today, the majority of American-based Paeschs can be found in Wisconsin, Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania.

Despite the spread of the name across the world, the synchronistic rate at which it is found is still low compared to some other German surnames, with only around 2,000 people bearing the name in Germany. Furthermore, while the name has been found in numerous locales, the largest concentration of Paeschs continues to be found in the North-Western states of Germany.

Variations of the surname Paesch

The Paesch surname has many variants, spellings and related surnames. It is derived from the German given name 'Pascal,' a form of 'Paskal,' which is a Greek form of the Hebrew personal name 'Pesach' meaning “Passover”.

The most common variants, spelling and related surnames of Paesch are:

Pask, Pasch, Pasche, Paschek, Pasel, Passell, Passe, Paschke, Pasell, Paschen, Pesch, Peschke, Peschel, Paskal, Paschall, Pascle and Peschel.

In some cases, the surname may also have been changed to reflect regional languages or customs, so other spellings may be seen.

It is also common to find hyphenated versions of this surname, such as Paesch-Paschen, Paesche-Passel, and Peschel-Paschel.

The surname may also have been shortened with the use of an initial or patronymic surname such as ‘P’ or ‘Pas’ followed by a given name.

Given the prevalence of this surname in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Netherlands-speaking regions of Belgium and Luxembourg, it is possible to find several spellings of this name within the same family.

Variations of this surname are also found in countries such as Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the United States.

In the United States, it is also possible to find families of Dutch descent with surnames spelled Paschal, Pasco, Pass, Pascow, and Pasquale.

Variations of the Polish spelling of the Paesch surname include Paszk, Paszko, Paszka, Paszkie, and Paszkiel.

No matter the spelling, the Paesch surname is a variation of a Hebrew and/or Greek name, and as such is connected to the Christian faith. It also connects to the Old Germanic heritage of Europe, with its many variant spellings and related surnames.

Famous people with the name Paesch

• Leander Paes, Indian tennis player and winner of multiple Grand Slam titles.
• Wil von Paesch, German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
• Joerg Paeschke, German handball player and ten-time All-Star selection.
• Fernando Paesch, Chilean singer and songwriter and winner of two Latin Grammy Awards.
• Amy Paesch, American actress and voice-over artist.
• Daniel Paesch, Swiss-German actor featuring in multiple television series.
• Karl Paesch, German sailor and winner of the silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
• Dorothea Paeschke, German sculptor and printmaker.
• Jennifer Paesch, German artist and innovator in the world of abstract painting.
• Julia Paeschke, German filmmaker and photographer.

Other surnames

Paeschke