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Petter Family History

Petter Surname Meaning

German Dutch and English: variant of Peter. South German: relationship name or nickname from Middle High German pfetter ‘godfather’ or ‘uncle’.

(from Late Latin patrinus a derivative of pater ‘father’).

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 Petter family from?

You can see how Petter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 123 Petter families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Petter's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Petter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petter 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 Petter ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Petter. 22% of Petter men worked as a Gardener and 73% of Petter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petter were Farmworker and Dressmaker.

View Census Data for Petter | 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

  • Gardener
    22%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Farm Carter
    11%
  • Farmworker
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Dressmaker
    3%

What Petter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Petter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Petter

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Petter. 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 Petter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Petter. For the veterans among your Petter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petter family history

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What is the average Petter lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Petter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Petter in 1961 was 57, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petter 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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