Phelps
Originally a family name meaning “son of Philip,” though some older writers also proposed a connection with “whelp.”
The #657 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,932 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Phelps is generally treated as a patronymic from Philip: an earlier form such as Philp or Phelp developed a genitive -s, giving the surname Phelps. The underlying personal name Philip comes from Greek, meaning “lover of horses.” A minority of 19th-century writers also suggested a different origin, connecting Phelps with a word meaning “whelp,” but that explanation is less widely accepted.
History
The surname appears in medieval and early modern English records in forms such as Phelp, Phelip, and Phelps. It became established in England and was carried to North America by early settlers, where it remains best known today in the United States. Variant spellings reflect the long history of the given name Philip and the fluid spelling of Middle English surnames.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several older surname dictionaries group Phelps with the large family of surnames built from Philip, including Phillips, Philp, and Philcox.
From the historical record
“PHELIPS PHELPS 75 |phel(i)p's (Son), Picard PHiLL6T(T, adim. of Plilllp (q.V:), + the Fr.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Phelps
- Michael Phelps (b. 1985)
- Edmund Phelps (1933–2026)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.