pilger

Pilger is a surname of German origin. In German, pilger means “pilgrim,” and the name likely originated as a descriptor for someone who undertook pilgrimages or for a place associated with pilgrimage. It is found among people of German heritage and in communities shaped by German immigration, including in North America and other regions.

Pilger also designates a place in the United States: Pilger, Nebraska, a village in Dodge County. The community reflects the pattern of German-derived toponymy common in rural areas of the Midwest, where settlers named locales after their origins or associations with their homeland.

Notable people bearing the surname include John Pilger (born 1937), an Australian journalist and documentary filmmaker known for investigative reporting and for works that critique foreign policy and media power. The surname is carried by others in various fields, reflecting its broader use across different countries and communities.