Pontius
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Frequency: (957)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
German: from the medieval personal name Potentinus, altered by association with Pontius Pilatus (see Pilat). Potentinus was the name of a 4th-century saint who lived in the valley of the Mosel, and it was in that area and around Schleiden, south of Aachen, that his cult developed and the name became popular.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
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Copyrights:
Oxford Dictionary of Family Names
Dictionary of American Family Names. Copyright © 2006 Patrick Hanks. All rights reserved.
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Mentioned in
Pontious
(family name)
Punches
(family name)
Pilate, Pontius
(Roman prefect of Judea)
Interview with Pontius Pilate
(1987 History Film)
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