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

Petrie, 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 Petrie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petrie in America

Petrie is the 4159th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petrie surname appeared 8,520 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Petrie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petrie 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 Petrie

The surname Petrie has its origins in Scotland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "petrin," meaning a small loaf of bread or a baker's kneading trough. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a baker or someone involved in the baking trade.

In the early records, the name is found with various spellings, such as Petrie, Petre, Petry, and Pettry. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In this document, the name appears as "Robert Petre."

The Petrie surname is closely associated with the Scottish county of Angus, particularly the town of Arbroath. This area was known for its monastic communities and abbeys, where baking and bread production were important activities. It is likely that the name originated from individuals involved in these activities.

During the Middle Ages, the name appears in various Scottish charters and records. For instance, in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, there is a mention of "Gilbertus Petry" in 1455 and "Robertus Petry" in 1472, both from the county of Angus.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Petrie was George Petrie (c. 1515-1589), a Scottish ecclesiastical lawyer and writer. He served as a Lord of Session and was instrumental in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Petrie (1624-1677), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1674 to 1676. He played a significant role in the city's governance during a turbulent period of Scottish history.

In the field of archaeology, one of the most renowned figures was Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853-1942), often referred to as the "Father of Palestinian Archaeology." He pioneered systematic archaeological techniques and made significant contributions to the study of ancient Egypt and the Near East.

Other notable individuals with the surname Petrie include William Petrie (1786-1842), a Scottish artist and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural engravings, and Victor Petrie (1888-1946), a Canadian painter and illustrator who captured the landscapes and daily life of the Canadian Prairies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petrie

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

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

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

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