Petrie to Redesdale

The archaic pronunciation of surnames has not always developed at the same pace as our language, and can cause confusion. The table below gives guidance on the pronunciation of a selection of English surnames - establishing the traditional pronunciation of a surname will ensure that you do not cause offence.

Surname Pronunciation
Petrie Peet-rie
Peyton Payton
Phayre Fair
Pierpoint Pierpont
Pleydell Pleddel
Plowden Ploughden
Plumtre Plum-tri
Pole Pole or Pool (see also Carew)
Poltimore Pole-ti-more
Polwarth Pol-worth
Pomeroy Pom-roy
Pomfret Pum-fret
Ponsonby Punsunby
Poulett Paul-et
Powell Powell or Poell
Powerscourt Poers-caut
Powis Po-iss
Powlett Paul-et
Powys Po-iss (name) (place pronounced 'Powiss')
Praed Praid
Prevost Prev-o
Prideaux Priddo
Puleston Pill-ston
Purefuy Pure-foy
Pytchley Pietch-li
Quibell Quy-bell (as in 'high')
Raleigh Raw-li
Ranfurly Ran-fully
Rankeillour Rank-illour
Ratendone Ratten-dun
Rathdonnell Rath-donnell
Rea Ree
Rearsby Rears-bi
Reay Ray
Redesdale Reads-dale

 

 

 

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