Pullen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A surname borne by various notable individuals ; an old English term sometimes referring to poultry, specifically chickens ; a place name found in certain regions
2. Used as the family name of people in English-speaking areas ; historically denoting domesticated fowl such as hens ; the designation of particular geographic locations
3. A last name occurring among English speakers ; archaically indicating certain types of barnyard birds, especially hens ; a name of towns or locales in some parts of the world

Etymology: Pullen is a surname, and its roots run back to a word for a young horse. In Middle English, "poleyn" meant a colt or foal, borrowed from Old French "polain", the ancestor of modern French "poulain", which still means a foal. Behind that lies Late Latin "pullāmen", a word tied to "pullus", the Latin for young animal or chick. The same Latin stem gave English "pullet", a young hen, which is why the two words are related. A surname like this usually began as a nickname or a description, so an early bearer may have been known for keeping, tending or handling young horses. The family name then outlasted its original meaning, and the horse became a fossil in the surname.