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

Petitfrère, 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 Petitfrère surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petitfrère in America

Petitfrère is the 20458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petitfrère surname appeared 1,298 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 Petitfrère.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petitfrère 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 Petitfrère

The surname PETITFRERE has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the French words "petit" meaning small or little, and "frere" meaning brother. The name is believed to have initially referred to younger or smaller brothers in religious orders or monasteries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a 12th-century manuscript from the Chartres region of northern France. The document mentions a "Robertus Petitfrere" who was a monk at the Saint-Père Abbey.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records from the region of Normandy, including the Rotuli Litterarum Patentium, which lists a "Guillaume Petitfrere" who was granted land by King Henry III of England in 1227.

During the 14th century, the name spread to other parts of France, and variations in spelling began to emerge. In the Registres de la Cathédrale de Rouen, there is a record of a "Jehan Pettiffrere" who was a canon at the Rouen Cathedral in the year 1382.

One notable figure with the surname PETITFRERE was Jean Petitfrere (1436-1498), a French scholar and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Paris. He was known for his writings on canon law and his involvement in the ecclesiastical reforms of the late 15th century.

Another individual of note was Pierre Petitfrere (1568-1642), a French merchant and explorer who traveled extensively in the Americas and wrote detailed accounts of his voyages. His journals provide valuable insights into the trade and cultural interactions between Europe and the New World during the early colonial era.

In the 17th century, the name PETITFRERE was found in various regions of France, including Brittany, Normandy, and the Île-de-France. One example is Jacques Petitfrere (1612-1687), a wealthy landowner and vintner from the village of Épernay in the Champagne region.

The 18th century saw the name PETITFRERE spread to other parts of Europe as well. One notable bearer was Johann Michael Petitfrere (1722-1801), a German composer and violinist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

In the 19th century, the name PETITFRERE continued to be found in France and other parts of Europe, with some bearers emigrating to the Americas and other regions of the world. One example is Louis Petitfrere (1813-1888), a French-born artist and sculptor who settled in New Orleans and became known for his intricate wood carvings and religious artwork.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petitfrère

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

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

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

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