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

Pethe, 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 Pethe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pethe in America

Pethe is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pethe surname appeared 125 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 Pethe.

The history of the last name Pethe

The surname PETHE originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English word 'peth' meaning a small path or track. It was likely an occupational name given to someone who lived or worked near a path.

The earliest recorded example of the name dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it appears as 'Pethe'. Variations in spelling were common, with forms like 'Pethe', 'Pethye', and 'Pethy' appearing in parish records across England.

In the 14th century, the name PETHE can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, suggesting its presence in the northern counties. The surname was also recorded in the Huntingdonshire Subsidy Rolls of 1327, indicating its spread across different regions.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Pethe, a landowner and farmer who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 15th century. His descendant, William Pethe, was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603).

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the PETHE surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. The parish registers of these areas contain numerous entries of births, marriages, and deaths involving individuals with this surname.

One of the earliest known instances of the name in Scotland can be traced back to the late 16th century, when Robert Pethe, a merchant from Edinburgh, was recorded in the Burgh Records of the city in 1589.

In the 17th century, the PETHE surname gained recognition with the rise of Thomas Pethe (1609-1668), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Compton Beauchamp in Berkshire. His works, including a treatise on the doctrine of justification, were widely read during his time.

Another notable figure was Sir John Pethe (1615-1690), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. He played a significant role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Parliamentarian cause before switching sides to the Royalists.

As the PETHE surname spread across different regions, it also developed variations in spelling, such as 'Peth', 'Pethie', and 'Pethey'. These variants can be found in historical records from various parts of England and Scotland, reflecting the diversity of local dialects and scribal practices.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pethe

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

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 Pethe 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.

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pethe, 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!