Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US, 20 C use teen) friends, people in general.

1833		Albany Microscope (NY) 5 jan. n.p.: In Europe a fierce game is playing, / Kings and Peeps to their principles stick; / While the one are their honors displaying, / The other must try the odd trick.
1854		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 13 Mat n.p.: We wish to show up a few of the peeps who attended the levee [...] They were a scaly set.
1942		Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 17 Jan. 7/8: Jive Dictionary. [...] Peeps — young girl friends.
1951		Chicago Daily Trib. 29 Dec. II 1/1: Teen talk: Add these yap-happy expressions to your slang vocabulary, both for laughs and color. Around the country, high schoolers are greeting each other with ‘Hi, peeps’ (short for ‘hello, people,’ of course).
1989		P. Munro Sl. U.
1999		Prince Paul ‘Prince Among Thieves’ 🎵 He’s good peeps. We like brothers.
2002		Observer 10 Mar. 12: When I said to my peeps in Handsworth that I was going to be a computer programmer they all laughed at me.
2006		G. Malkani Londonstani (2007) 28: Just ignore what peeps like Kavi n Davinder say.
2012		Jamaica Star 18 May 🌐 Listen nuh, peeps, I know all the cute quotes.
2014		B. Koeler ‘Be My Alibi’ in ThugLit Sept. [ebook] He's the boots-on-the-ground dude. The one who actually removes peeps from their homes.
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 72: Nuff peeps saw it all too .

2. (orig. US campus/black) parents, relatives, lit. or fig. family.

1991		Palm Beach Post (FL) 26 Feb. 85/1: Peeps: parents.
1996		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 6: peeps – group of family, friends.
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 peeps Definition: parents, family. Example: My peeps had to bail my ass outda pen.
2005		W.D. Myers Autobiog. of My Dead Brother 62: [of fellow gang members] ‘The Counts are my peeps’.
2008		A. Wheatle Dirty South 208: He’s bonafide and his peeps live in Leicester.
2013		K. Koke ‘Fire in the Booth’ 🎵 This street life’s got these old peeps horrified.