pierce

Pierce is a surname and given name of English origin. As a surname, it derives from the medieval given name Piers, a form of Peter, with patronymic meaning “son of Piers.” As a given name, Pierce is an anglicized form of Peter that has been used since the 19th century and remains in occasional use.

Notable people with the surname include Franklin Pierce (1804–1869), the 14th president of the United States; Paul Pierce (born 1977), a former professional basketball player and Hall of Famer.

Notable people with the given name include Pierce Brosnan (born 1953), an Irish actor known for portraying James Bond.

In geography, Pierce appears in several place names in the United States, including Pierce County, Washington; towns named Pierce occur in various states.

In industry, the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company produced luxury automobiles in the early 20th century.

The word Pierce also appears in common usage as a noun or verb, meaning to penetrate or stab through, though this is generally written in lowercase.