Origin | |
---|---|
Language(s) | French (Panetier) West Slavic via German (Pahnke) |
Meaning | [pantier: bread master, or keeper of the pantry] pahnke: young master |
Region of origin | United States (by Anglicisation of European surname) |
Other names | |
Cognate(s) | Panek, Pahnke, Pank |
See also | Junker, Juncker, Youngman, Jungmann |
Pankey is an Americanized form of French Panetier: occupational name for a pantryman from panetieran agent derivative of pain ‘bread’. Alteration of the French ending -tier to English -key is typical for American French surnames. The American version originated with two French brothers who emigrated to Virginia in 1700, Jean and Etienne Panetier. [1]
It is also a North American last name [2] and the Anglicized form of the German-language surname Pahnke, [3] which in itself is derived from the diminutive form pank/panek of the Lower Sorbian/ Upper Sorbian/ Polish word pan for "man", "master" or "mister" (and can thus roughly be translated as "little gentleman", “young noble” or " junker"). [4] [5] [6]
Notable people with the surname include:
Approximately 3,960 people bear this surname. Most prevalent in: United States; Highest density in: United States Virgin Islands.
Americanized form of German Pahnke.