Peterjohn
A combination of the masculine name "Peter" from Greek meaning "rock" and "John" of Hebrew origin meaning "God is gracious."
Name Census estimates that about 42 living Americans carry the first name Peterjohn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Peterjohn today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Peterjohn births was 1986 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Peterjohn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Peterjohn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
42
~ 1 in 8,160,818 Americans
Peak year
1986
7 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2008 SSA rank
#10,734
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Peterjohn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Peterjohn from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 17 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Peterjohn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Peterjohn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Peterjohn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Peterjohn
The name Peterjohn is a combination of two distinct given names – Peter and John. It originated in countries with strong Christian traditions, particularly in regions where English and Germanic languages were spoken.
Peter is derived from the Greek name Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." It was the name given to the apostle Simon by Jesus Christ, who declared him the rock upon which the church would be built. John, on the other hand, comes from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Graced by God" or "God is gracious."
The earliest recorded use of the combined name Peterjohn can be traced back to medieval Europe, particularly in England and Germany. It was relatively uncommon but appeared in various historical records, such as parish registers and legal documents.
One notable figure in history who bore the name Peterjohn was Peterjohn Olivi, a Franciscan theologian and philosopher who lived from 1248 to 1298. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual debates of his time and wrote extensively on topics ranging from theology to economics.
Another individual of note was Peterjohn Muggleton, an English religious dissenter and founder of the Muggletonian sect, who lived from 1609 to 1688. He claimed to be one of the two final prophets foretold in the Book of Revelation and gained a following in London and surrounding areas.
In the 16th century, Peterjohn Underhill was an English soldier and colonial pioneer who played a significant role in the early settlement of New England. He participated in the Pequot War and was appointed as a captain in the militia.
During the 17th century, Peterjohn Finden was an English engraver and illustrator known for his work on topographical and architectural subjects. He was born in 1784 and contributed to various publications, including "The Beauties of England and Wales" and "The Antiquities of England and Wales."
Lastly, Peterjohn Burnett, born in 1822, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the first Governor of California after it became a state in 1849. He played a crucial role in the early development and governance of California during a turbulent period.
These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the name Peterjohn throughout history, showcasing its use across different time periods and contexts, often reflecting the cultural and religious influences of the regions where it was used.
People
Peterjohn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Peterjohn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Peterjohn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Peterjohn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 42 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Peterjohn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 8,160,818 US residents.
Is Peterjohn a common name?
We classify Peterjohn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 51.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 44 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Peterjohn most popular?
The single biggest year for Peterjohn was 1986, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Peterjohn is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Peterjohn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Peterjohn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Peterjohn in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Peterjohn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Peterjohn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Peterjohn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Peterjohn?
Find out how many people have the name Peterjohn on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.