Paschall
A surname from the personal name Pascal, ultimately linked to Easter or Passover.
The #7,725 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,868 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Paschall is a variant of Pascal, a name that came into English from Latin paschalis, meaning “of Easter” or “of the Passover.” In medieval naming practice, such forms were often given to children born at Easter or to people named after the feast. The surname was then inherited as a family name, with Paschall appearing as a spelling alongside Pascall, Pask, and Pash.
History
The historical excerpts connect Paschall with the Baptismal surname group centered on Pascall/Pascal and note its use in medieval records, including a 14th-century Norwich example. In English and American records it appears mainly as a spelling variant rather than a separate origin. The name is also found in U.S. records, where it has survived as a relatively uncommon surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it belongs to the Easter-name family, Paschall sits in the same broad naming tradition as surnames like Noel, Yule, and Christmas.
From the historical record
“London, 3» s, o ; Philadelphia, o, a, i. PaschalL— Bapt. *lhe son of Pascall/ q.v.y a variant ; cf. Pash and Pask. John FBscban, Suffragan Bishop of Norwich, 1344 : FF. iv. A22,”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)