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

Petway, 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 Petway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petway in America

Petway is the 27042nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petway surname appeared 896 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 Petway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petway 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 Petway

The surname PETWAY has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called "Petway" or a similar spelling, which was likely a small village or hamlet in one of the English counties. The name may have evolved from an Old English word "pet" meaning a path or track, combined with "weg" meaning way, suggesting it referred to a settlement located along a specific path or route.

Early records show variations in the spelling, such as Peteweye, Pettewey, and Petweye, which were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and the evolution of the English language. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a William de Peteweye.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various manorial and tax records across England. For instance, a John Petway was recorded in the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire in 1379. In the 15th century, the name was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, which included a reference to a Thomas Petway in 1478.

Notable individuals bearing the PETWAY surname include:

1. John Petway (c. 1580 - 1645), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark in the early 17th century.
2. Richard Petway (c. 1620 - 1680), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Essex, known for his philanthropic contributions to the local community.
3. Elizabeth Petway (1658 - 1736), an English writer and poet, whose works were published in London in the early 18th century.
4. William Petway (1745 - 1819), a prominent farmer and landowner from Oxfordshire, who played a role in the agricultural reforms of the late 18th century.
5. James Petway (1800 - 1878), an American businessman and plantation owner from Virginia, who was also a notable figure in the state's political circles during the mid-19th century.

While the PETWAY surname has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration to the United States and other English-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petway

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

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

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

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