Surname Phillipps - Meaning and Origin
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Phillipps: What does the surname Phillipps mean?
The last name Phillipps is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Philip. It is primarily of English and Welsh origin and is a form of the ancient Greek personal name ‘Philippos’, meaning ‘friend of horses’. This is befitting of the origin of the name, as Philip was a popular name among leaders in Ancient Greece.
A combination of migrating families and the feudal system led to the proliferation of this surname throughout Europe. Phillipps is most often exhibited as a name in parts of Wales, Scotland, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Outside of its geographical origins, Phillipps has grown to represent family. There are many lines of families descended from a Phillipps ancestor, often documented by its members in genealogy records. The surname is often taken as a symbolic bond between families for generations.
More recently, studies have indicated that bearers of the Phillipps surname are noted for being resilient, resourceful and driven. Once its origin is known, it is of little surprise as the given name Philip was notably shared amongst European rulers of the Middle Ages. The modern-day Carmichael is representative of the spirit and fortitude of the medieval leader it was once named after.
Phillipps is thus a surname shrouded in centuries of history and heritage. From its Ancient Greek roots to modern-day achievements, the legacy lives on through the generations.
Order DNA origin analysisPhillipps: Where does the name Phillipps come from?
The last name Phillipps is most commonly found in England, Wales, and Ireland. It is an English patronymic surname, referring to someone who is descended from Philip or Phillip.
In England, the name Phillipps is primarily concentrated in Norfolk, Warwickshire, Lancashire, Devon, and Essex. In Wales, the name is more widely distributed and crops up particularly often in South Wales in counties such as Caerphilly, Newport, and Monmouthshire.
In Ireland, most Phillipps in the country are to be found in Ulster, where the name spread from Scotland in the 17th century. Counties with high concentrations of Phillipps include Donegal, Down, Antrim, and Monaghan. Additionally, some Phillipps can be found in Limerick, Laois, and Dublin.
The Phillipps surname can also be seen in other English-speaking countries such as Australia, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, though numbers are much reduced compared to the home countries, especially in the last two.
Overall, the last name Phillipps is still common today in its traditional heartlands of England, Wales, and Ireland, with slight representation in other countries at lower levels.
Variations of the surname Phillipps
The surname Phillipps is derived from an ancient given name which started off appearing as Philips or Philipps in medieval records. It is a patronymic name derived from 'Philip', which comes from the Greek Philippos, or the Latin Philippus, both meaning "lover of horses." Variants, spellings and other related surnames include Phillip, Phillips, Philip, Philipp, Philippes, Philp, Phillops, Phillop, Philipson, Philipse, Felippe, Felipo, Felippes, Philippson, Phelippe, Filipek, Filipo, Philippova, Philbin, Philippou, Phillobe and Philibert.
Phillipps is also quite popular in the United Kingdom. Variants of the same origin that are associated with this place include for example, Phillipson, Phillimore, Phillippen, Phillipot, Phillibrown, Phillpot, Phillipo, Phenyl, Philburn and Philpott.
The surname is also found across Europe, most notably in France, German-speaking countries, Scandinavia and Poland. In France, spellings may include Phillippe, Filippe, Feuillet, Philipe and Philippeau. The Swedish and Dutch versions of the name are Phillippsen and Philippen respectively. The Germanic variants of the same origin are Phillipsen, Philippsen and Phillinsky. In Poland, it is usually spelled Filipek or Filipo.
Finally, in Russia, variants of this same surname include Philippov, Philippoff, Philippof and Philippova.
Famous people with the name Phillipps
- Rebecca Phillipps: Actress known for roles in Hard Sun, Little Women, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and The Experiment.
- Duncan Phillipps: Actor known for roles in The Musketeers, Les Miserables, and Silent Witness.
- Jason Phillipps: Professional Wrestler and WCW Tag Team Champion.
- Richard Phillipps: Olympic Silver medalist in sailing.
- Joe Phillipps: Professional football player who spent his career in the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.
- Carol Phillipps: Award-winning British author.
- Laura Phillipps: Award-winning American artist.
- Robert Phillipps: Former Australian politician and the leader of the National Party of Australia from 1922-1933.
- Miles Phillipps: British painter best known for his portrait work.
- Pete Phillipps: American entrepreneur who was the founder and CEO of the fashion brand American Apparel.