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Petcairn Family History

Petcairn Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Pitcairn, Petrin, Decaire, Peairs, Pechin, Patchin, Hearn, Peter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Petcairn family from?

You can see how Petcairn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petcairn family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1871 and 1901. The most Petcairn families were found in and Scotland in 1871. In 1871 there were 7 Petcairn families living in Fife. This was about 64% of all the recorded Petcairn's in Scotland. Fife had the highest population of Petcairn families in 1871.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petcairn 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 Petcairn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 27 census records available for the last name Petcairn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petcairn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Petcairn

Passenger Lists

There are 9 immigration records available for the last name Petcairn. 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 Petcairn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Petcairn. For the veterans among your Petcairn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petcairn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petcairn family history

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What is the average Petcairn lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petcairn ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petcairn

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