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Pettit Family History

Pettit Name Meaning

English (mainly southeastern): variant of Petit .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Pettitt, Pettet, Petit, Petitt, Pettie, Pettett, Pettey, Petty, Pett

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Pettit family from?

You can see how Pettit families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Pettit family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Pettit families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 468 Pettit families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Pettit's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Pettit families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Pettit surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Pettit ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Pettit. 9% of Pettit men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Pettit women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Pettit were Builders Labourer and Domestic Servant. .

View Census Data for Pettit | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Farm Labourer
    6%
  • Carpenter joiner
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Pettit family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 137,000 census records available for the last name Pettit. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Pettit census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Pettit

Passenger Lists

There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Pettit. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Pettit immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Pettit. For the veterans among your Pettit ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Pettit military records

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What is the average Pettit lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Pettit life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Pettit in 1944 was 30, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Pettit

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