Peirces

Peirces is a surname variant used in English-speaking areas as an alternative form of Peirce, itself a variant of Pierce. The form is relatively rare in contemporary use but appears in historical and genealogical sources as the plural or family designation for people bearing the Peirce surname. The surname Peirce derives from the given name Peter, transmitted through medieval English and French forms, and has multiple orthographic variants including Pierce, Pearce, and Peirce. The spelling Peirces likely arose from phonetic spellings and regional pronunciation patterns in Britain, Ireland, and early North American settlements.

In terms of geographic distribution, records show occurrences of Peirces in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, with most attestations found in the 17th through 19th centuries. In genealogical contexts, Peirces may indicate a family group descended from an ancestor named Peirce or Pierce, and it may appear in documents as a plural noun or as a transcription variant.

As a relatively uncommon form, there are no widely recognized notable individuals specifically identified as "Peirces" in standard reference works. The surname remains closely related to its more common variants Pierce and Pearce, which have their own distinct historical lineages and notable bearers.

Related surnames include Pierce and Pearce; for further information see the articles on Pierce (surname) and Pearce (surname).