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Petter Family History

Petter Name Meaning

German Dutch and English: variant of Peter . South German: relationship name or nickname from Middle High German pfetter ‘godfather’ or ‘uncle’ (from Late Latin patrinus a derivative of pater ‘father’).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Netter, Wetter, Ketter, Potter, Etter, Pester, Setter, Jetter, Vetter

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Petter family from?

You can see how Petter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petter families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 48 Petter families living in Ontario. This was about 31% of all the recorded Petter's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Petter families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Petter ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Petter. 38% of Petter men worked as a Farmer and 67% of Petter women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petter were Painter and Student. .

View Census Data for Petter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    38%
  • Laborer
    18%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Painter
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    67%
  • Student
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Petter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name Petter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Petter

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Petter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Petter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Petter. For the veterans among your Petter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petter family history

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What is the average Petter lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Petter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Petter in 1961 was 57, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petter

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Petter family tree

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