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Petterson Family History

Petterson Surname Meaning

Americanized form (and a rare Swedish variant) of Swedish Pettersson. This is also an Americanized form of the Norwegian and Danish cognate Pettersen.

Compare Peterson.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Petterson family from?

You can see how Petterson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petterson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petterson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 55 Petterson families living in London. This was about 23% of all the recorded Petterson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Petterson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petterson 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 Petterson 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 Petterson. 50% of Petterson men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Petterson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petterson were Waiter and Childrens Nurse.

View Census Data for Petterson | 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
    50%
  • Waiter
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Childrens Nurse
    3%

What Petterson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 65,000 census records available for the last name Petterson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petterson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Petterson

Passenger Lists

There are 75,000 immigration records available for the last name Petterson. 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 Petterson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Petterson. For the veterans among your Petterson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petterson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petterson family history

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What is the average Petterson lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Petterson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 1990. The average life expectancy for Petterson in 1946 was 47, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petterson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petterson 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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