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Petersons Family History

Petersons 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: Peterson, Persons, Peerson, Petterson, Petersen, Paterson, Pederson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Petersons family from?

You can see how Petersons families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petersons family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Petersons families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 5 Petersons families living in London. This was about 63% of all the recorded Petersons's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Petersons families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petersons 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 Petersons ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Petersons. 39% of Petersons men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Petersons women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petersons were Clerk and Practical Nurse.

View Census Data for Petersons | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    39%
  • Laborer
    21%
  • Truck Driver
    10%
  • Clerk
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    50%
  • Teacher
    25%
  • Practical Nurse
    25%

What Petersons family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Petersons. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petersons census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Petersons

Passenger Lists

There are 590 immigration records available for the last name Petersons. 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 Petersons immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 116 military records available for the last name Petersons. For the veterans among your Petersons ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petersons military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petersons family history

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What is the average Petersons lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2004, in the United States, Petersons life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1973, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Petersons in 1966 was 61, and 95 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petersons

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petersons 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.

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