Pettigrew

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of English or Scottish origin, borne by various people over the centuries
2. A surname of British origin, carried by a number of individuals across different generations
3. Used as a family name of English or Scottish descent, shared by many people throughout history

Etymology: Pettigrew is a surname before it is anything else, and the surname itself is a puzzle. It was recorded in England from the 13th century, but its origin is unknown. One proposal traces it to a French phrase, "petit cru" (small growth), perhaps a nickname for a short man. Another points to "pie de grue" (crane's foot), which would have described someone with long, thin legs. The second theory is the more tempting one, because English has a close relative with exactly that French source: "pedigree," which comes from Anglo-French "pe de gru," a variant of "pied de grue," meaning "crane's foot." The shape of a crane's foot resembled the lines used to trace a family tree, so the same image served both words. Whether "Pettigrew" really shares that root is uncertain, and the surname may simply be a nickname that has lost its original sense.