Philpot
A diminutive of Philip, originally meaning “little Philip” or “son of Philip.”
The #6,160 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 55,550 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Philpot is a pet-form surname from the personal name Philip, ultimately from Greek Philippos, meaning “lover of horses.” In medieval use, the name was shortened to forms like Philipot or Philpot, with the diminutive ending giving the sense of “little Philip” or “young Philip.” The spelling with -t or -tt is a later variant, and some early writers also treated it as a French-style diminutive.
History
The surname is recorded in several spellings, including Philpot, Philpott, Phillpot, and Fillpot. Nineteenth-century surname writers noted it as a familiar English baptismal surname and linked it to the widespread medieval popularity of Philip. It also appears in older records as both a surname and, occasionally, a given-name style nickname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname books note that the name could be used for both men and women, because it began as a nickname from a personal name rather than an occupational label.
From the historical record
“PHILLPOT PHILLPOTT PHILPOT PHILPOTT Philippot and Philippet are common French surnames. PHILLPOTTS, Phillpot(t)'s (Son): v. Phillpot(t. PHILP for Philip, q.v. PHILPIN = Philip (q.v.) + the Fr. dim. suff.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)