Player
An occupational surname for an actor or performer, originally from Middle English words for a play-actor or entertainer.
The #9,033 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,360 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Player comes from Middle English playere, meaning a person who plays or performs, especially an actor or entertainer. It is linked to Old English plegere, from plega, meaning play, sport, or game. In surname use, it most likely began as a job-name for someone connected with performance or entertainment.
History
The name is recorded in medieval England, including Yorkshire in the 14th century. As a surname, it fits the common English pattern of occupational bynames that later became hereditary family names. The same root also lies behind related surnames such as Playfair, which developed from similar older words for a companion in play.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is one of the few occupational names that directly matches a very common modern English noun and verb.
From the historical record
“Yorks Potl-Tax, A.D. 1379. PLAYER (Eng.) Actor; Athlete [O.'E.plegere] PLAYFAIR (Eng.) Playmate [M.E. play/ere, plaifere; O.E. plega, play + f£ra^ com- panion] Than out and cam the Jewis dochter, Said, Will ye cum in and dine ? 1 winnae cum in, I cannae cum in , Without my playferes nine. —”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)