Pyle (surname)

The surname Pyle is of multiple possible origins, making it polygenetic. These origins include:

• English: Derived from the Middle English word "pile," meaning a stake, post, or wooden structure such as a pier. It may have been an occupational surname for someone who built or worked with such structures, or a topographic name for someone who lived near one.

• Welsh: A reduced form of the Welsh name "Ap Hywel," meaning "son of Hywel." Hywel itself is a Welsh personal name meaning "eminent" or "conspicuous."

• German: Possibly derived from the German word "Pfuhl," meaning a pool or marsh. It may have been a topographic name for someone who lived near a pool or marsh.

The spelling of the name and its pronunciation have varied over time and in different geographical locations. Common variations include Pile, Piel, and Pyles.

The name is found primarily in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States, England, and Wales.

Notable people with the surname Pyle include:

• Ernest Taylor Pyle (1900–1945), a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and war correspondent.
• Denver Pyle (1920-1997), an American actor best known for his role as Uncle Jesse Duke in the television series The Dukes of Hazzard.