Find out how popular the last name Petatan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Petatan.

Petatan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Petatan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petatan in America

Petatan is the 86314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petatan surname appeared 216 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Petatan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petatan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Petatan

The surname PETATAN is believed to have originated in the Philippines during the 16th century. It is thought to derive from the Visayan word "petatan," which means "a small coastal village." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname likely hailed from a small fishing community located along the coastlines of the Philippine islands.

Records indicate that the name PETATAN first appeared in historical documents during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. One of the earliest mentions can be found in a 1639 census record from the town of Dapitan, which lists a family headed by a certain Juan PETATAN. This entry provides evidence that the name was already established in the region by the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the PETATAN name gained prominence with the birth of Father Pedro PETATAN (1712-1785), a Catholic priest and missionary who played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in the southern Philippines. His missionary work and influence are documented in various church records from that era.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was Catalina PETATAN (1785-1865), a local landowner and philanthropist from the province of Cebu. She was known for her charitable contributions to the community and her support for education initiatives in the region.

During the 19th century, the PETATAN surname appeared in several historical records related to the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. One such individual was Gregorio PETATAN (1820-1898), a revolutionary leader who fought alongside other Filipino patriots in their quest for independence.

In more recent times, the PETATAN name has been carried by individuals such as Manuel PETATAN (1920-2005), a prominent educator and advocate for indigenous rights in the Philippines. His efforts to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the country's indigenous communities have been widely recognized.

While the PETATAN surname has its roots in the Philippines, it is important to note that due to migration and intermarriage, this name may now be found in various parts of the world, carrying with it the rich cultural and historical significance of its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petatan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Petatan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Petatan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Petatan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Petatan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Petatan, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!