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

Pettet, 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 Pettet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pettet in America

Pettet is the 32865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pettet surname appeared 698 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 Pettet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pettet 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 Pettet

The surname Pettet has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "petit," meaning "small" or "little," and was likely a descriptive surname initially given to someone of small stature or a younger sibling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pettet surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Petitt," which was a common spelling variation at the time.

During the 13th century, the Pettet surname was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Robert Pettet, a merchant and landowner from the Normandy region of France, who was born around 1220. Another was Jehan Pettet, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France, born in 1307.

As the surname spread across Europe, it also took on various spellings and forms based on local dialects and languages. In England, for example, the name was sometimes spelled as "Pettit" or "Pettitt," while in Scotland, it was often rendered as "Pettie."

One of the most famous bearers of the Pettet surname was Sir William Pettet, an English military officer and member of Parliament, who lived from 1623 to 1707. He played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of the constitutional monarchy in England.

Another notable figure was Jean-Baptiste Pettet, a French philosopher and writer born in 1754. He is best known for his work "Essai sur la Nature Humaine" (Essay on Human Nature), which explored themes of ethics, morality, and the human condition.

In the 19th century, the Pettet surname was associated with several prominent individuals in various fields. One such person was James Pettet, a British artist and painter born in 1828, known for his landscapes and portraits. Another was Thomas Pettet, an English architect born in 1849, who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pettet

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

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

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

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