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Perterson Family History

Perterson 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, Petterson, Patterson, Peerson, Pettersen, Bergerson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Perterson family from?

You can see how Perterson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perterson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perterson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there was 1 Perterson family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Perterson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Perterson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perterson 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 Perterson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perterson. 22% of Perterson men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Perterson women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perterson were Clerk and Maid.

View Census Data for Perterson | 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
    22%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Farming
    10%
  • Clerk
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    14%
  • Housewife
    12%
  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Maid
    9%

What Perterson family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Perterson

Passenger Lists

There are 226 immigration records available for the last name Perterson. 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 Perterson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 149 military records available for the last name Perterson. For the veterans among your Perterson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perterson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perterson family history

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What is the average Perterson lifespan?

Between 1985 and 1998, in the United States, Perterson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1985, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Perterson in 1985 was 64, and 73 in 1998.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perterson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Perterson 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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