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

Petz, 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 Petz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Petz in America

Petz is the 20216th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Petz surname appeared 1,318 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 Petz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Petz 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 Petz

The surname PETZ is believed to have originated in Germany, where it first appeared as a variant of the name Petz or Petzsch. This name is thought to be derived from the German word "Petz," which means "fur" or "pelt." It is likely that the name was initially given as a nickname to someone who worked in the fur trade or had some other association with furs or pelts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PETZ can be found in the German city of Leipzig in the 14th century. In a document from 1367, a man named Heinricus Petz is mentioned as a resident of the city. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by that time.

The name PETZ can also be traced back to the town of Petzow, located in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. The town's name, which dates back to at least the 13th century, is believed to be derived from the Slavic word "pecz," meaning "oven" or "furnace." It is possible that some individuals with the surname PETZ may have originally hailed from this town or had ancestors who did.

In the 15th century, there are records of a family with the name PETZ residing in the city of Nuremberg, which was a major center of trade and commerce at the time. One notable member of this family was Hans Petz, a merchant and banker who lived from around 1450 to 1520. He was involved in various business ventures and played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.

Another historical figure who bore the surname PETZ was Johann Petz, a German-born Protestant reformer and theologian who lived from 1491 to 1569. He was a prominent figure in the Reformation movement and participated in various religious debates and discussions of his time.

In the 18th century, a German mathematician and astronomer named Johann Petz (1715-1791) made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He worked as a professor at the University of Leipzig and was known for his calculations and observations of the orbits of planets and comets.

As the name spread beyond Germany, it took on various spellings and forms. In England, for example, the name was sometimes written as "Petts" or "Pettis." One notable individual with this variation was Sir William Petts (1580-1637), an English shipbuilder who served as the Master Shipwright to the English Navy during the reigns of James I and Charles I.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and diverse individuals associated with the surname PETZ. While its origins can be traced back to Germany, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, leaving its mark on various fields and professions throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Petz

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!