Meaning & History
Pellé is a French surname derived from the Old French word pelé, meaning "bald". This originated as a nickname descriptive of a person with a bald head, a common trait used in medieval nicknames across Europe. The surname likely emerged in northern France, where such descriptive surnames were popular from the 12th century onward. Over time, orthographic variations developed due to regional dialects and transcription errors, including Pelley in both French- and English-speaking contexts. While Pellé remains concentrated in modern France, variants have spread through emigration—particularly to Canada and the United States—and the name can occasionally be found with different spellings, reflecting evolving pronunciation and spelling conventions. Today, Pellé preserves a tangible link to medieval linguistic practices where physical characteristics were commemorated in hereditary surnames.