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

Petaway, 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 Petaway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petaway in America

Petaway is the 142108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petaway surname appeared 117 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 Petaway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petaway 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 Petaway

The surname Petaway is thought to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place called Petaway or a similar spelling. Such place names often referred to small hamlets, villages, or even individual homesteads.

One theory suggests that the name Petaway may be derived from the Old English words "peta" and "weg," which translate to "path" and "way," respectively. This could indicate that the original bearers of the name lived near a prominent path or roadway.

Early records mentioning the surname Petaway are scarce, but some of the earliest known instances can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from the late 13th century. These rolls were tax records that listed individuals by name and location.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the Paston family of Norfolk. One letter, dated around 1472, mentions a certain "John Petaway" who was involved in a legal dispute over property.

During the Tudor period, a notable figure named Robert Petaway (c. 1510-1582) served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner, and his name appears in various historical records from that time.

In the 17th century, a woman named Elizabeth Petaway (c. 1620-1690) gained some notoriety as a midwife and herbalist in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. She was mentioned in several parish records and local histories for her skills in delivering babies and providing traditional remedies.

Another individual of note was William Petaway (1675-1745), a respected Anglican clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He was known for his theological writings and sermons, some of which were published during his lifetime.

By the 18th century, the surname Petaway had spread to other parts of England, as well as Wales and Scotland. Records show variations in spelling, such as Pettaway, Petteway, and Petway, which likely emerged due to regional dialects and variations in recordkeeping.

Overall, the surname Petaway has a long and diverse history, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and its bearers playing various roles throughout the centuries, from merchants and clergymen to midwives and landowners.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petaway

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

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 Petaway 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 Petaway 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 Petaway was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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