2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pettipiece
A surname derived from the combination of "petit" (small) and "piece" (piece), likely referring to someone of small stature or a small landowner.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Pettipiece. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pettipiece 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Pettipiece in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pettipiece, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pettipiece
The surname Pettipiece has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pettian" meaning "to indulge" and "piece" referring to a piece of land or property. The name was likely given to someone who indulged in excessive behavior or was perceived as self-indulgent, perhaps in relation to their land or possessions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset, dated 1176, which mentions a William Pettipiece. These rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, suggesting that the name was already established in the region during that period.
The Pettipiece surname is also mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which were census-like records of landholders and their holdings. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of England by the 13th century.
In the 16th century, the Pettipiece family was known to have resided in the village of Bromham, in Wiltshire. The parish records from this time include entries for several individuals bearing the name, such as John Pettipiece (born 1542) and Thomas Pettipiece (born 1587).
One notable figure in the history of the Pettipiece name was Sir William Pettipiece (1624-1698), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his contributions to the Crown and his philanthropic efforts.
Another prominent individual was Reverend Henry Pettipiece (1718-1794), an Anglican clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick for over 40 years. He was known for his influential sermons and his dedication to his parish.
In the 19th century, the Pettipiece family had established roots in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. Notable examples include John Pettipiece (1802-1879), a successful farmer from Oxfordshire, and Mary Pettipiece (1835-1912), a renowned educator and headmistress of a girls' school in Gloucestershire.
It's important to note that the spelling of the surname has evolved over time, with variations such as Pettepiece, Pettypece, and Pettipece appearing in historical records. Additionally, the name may have been influenced by certain place names or geographical features, as was often the case with surnames during that era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pettipiece
Among Census respondents with the surname Pettipiece, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Pettipiece 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 Pettipiece surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pettipiece
Pettipiece 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,590 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-6 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,642 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,590 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 4,642 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 Pettipiece 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 | #148,347 | #152,989 | -3.1% |
| Count | 111 | 105 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pettipiece bearers went from 111 to 105 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 4,642 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #152,989.
FAQ
Pettipiece surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pettipiece?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Pettipiece. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Pettipiece?
Pettipiece ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Pettipiece. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Pettipiece.
Has Pettipiece become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pettipiece went from 111 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Pettipiece?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pettipiece, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Pettipiece in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pettipiece appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Hispanic (3.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Pettipiece (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 Pettipiece mean?
A surname derived from the combination of "petit" (small) and "piece" (piece), likely referring to someone of small stature or a small landowner. 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 Pettipiece (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 Americans have the surname Pettipiece?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.