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Petteairn Family History

Petteairn 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: Petter, Pettersen, Pitcairn, Petterson, Petters, Peter, Setter

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Petteairn family from?

You can see how Petteairn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petteairn family name was found in Scotland in 1851. In 1851 there were 2 Petteairn families living in West Lothian. This was 100% of all the recorded Petteairn's in Scotland. West Lothian had the highest population of Petteairn families in 1851.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petteairn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What Petteairn family records will you find?

Census Records

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

Search UK census records for Petteairn

Passenger Lists

There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Petteairn. 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 Petteairn immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Petteairn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petteairn family history

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What is the average Petteairn lifespan?

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petteairn 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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