2000
#111,119
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 147
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Petock
An English surname possibly referring to a small basket or cup.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Petock. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Petock surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Petock in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Petock, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Petock
The surname PETOCK has its origins in England, deriving from an Old English word "pett" or "pet," meaning a small region or area of land. It is believed to have emerged as a locational surname, indicating that the original bearers of the name hailed from a place known as "Pett" or a variation thereof.
During the medieval period, the PETOCK name was found scattered across various regions of England, particularly in Essex, Kent, and Sussex. Records from the 13th century, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, contain references to individuals bearing the surname, albeit with slight variations in spelling, such as Pett and Pette.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PETOCK surname can be traced back to Walter de Pette, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. This historical record provides evidence of the name's presence during the late 13th century.
In the 14th century, the PETOCK surname appeared in the Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record from 1330, which mentions a certain John de Pette from Kent. This document further solidifies the surname's roots in the southeastern regions of England.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the PETOCK surname. One such figure was Sir Edward Petock (1570-1639), a distinguished English lawyer and judge who served as a Serjeant-at-Law during the reign of King Charles I.
Another prominent bearer of the PETOCK name was John Petock (1612-1687), an English clergyman and author who published works on theology and religious subjects during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, William Petock (1736-1805) gained recognition as a successful merchant and philanthropist in the city of Bristol. His charitable contributions to various causes left a lasting impact on the local community.
Moving into the 19th century, Frederick Petock (1815-1892) made his mark as a renowned architect, responsible for designing several notable buildings throughout England, including churches and public structures.
Lastly, Elizabeth Petock (1875-1948), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, played a significant role in promoting equal opportunities for girls' education during the early 20th century.
While the PETOCK surname may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "pett," reflecting the locational roots of the name and its bearers' connection to specific regions within England.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Petock
Among Census respondents with the surname Petock, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Petock bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Petock surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Petock
Petock appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#126,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
-12 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 15,646 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-18 bearers (-13.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,505 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #111,119 | 147 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,765 | 135 | 0.05 | -12 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 15,646 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-13.3%) | Down 17,505 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Petock surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #126,765 | #144,270 | -13.8% |
| Count | 135 | 117 | -13.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Petock bearers went from 135 to 117 (-13.3% change). The surname moved down 17,505 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,765 to #144,270.
FAQ
Petock surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Petock?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Petock. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Petock?
Petock ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Petock. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Petock.
Has Petock become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Petock went from 135 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 18 (-13.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,765 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Petock?
Among Census respondents with the surname Petock, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Petock in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Petock appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (5.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Petock (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Petock mean?
An English surname possibly referring to a small basket or cup. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Petock (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Petock?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.