NameCensus.

UK surname

Peet

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "pit" or "hollow."

In the 1881 census there were 1,586 people recorded with the Peet surname, ranking it #2,675 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,267, ranked #2,862, down from #2,675 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, North Meols and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peet is 2,412 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.9%.

1881 census count

1,586

Ranked #2,675

Modern count

2,267

2016, ranked #2,862

Peak year

1911

2,412 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peet had 1,586 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,675 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,267 in 2016, ranked #2,862.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,412 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Peet surname distribution map

The map shows where the Peet surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Peet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Peet over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,092 #2,572
1861 historical 828 #3,329
1881 historical 1,586 #2,675
1891 historical 1,763 #2,587
1901 historical 2,149 #2,506
1911 historical 2,412 #2,125
1997 modern 2,299 #2,704
1998 modern 2,341 #2,767
1999 modern 2,408 #2,714
2000 modern 2,368 #2,738
2001 modern 2,324 #2,732
2002 modern 2,318 #2,788
2003 modern 2,272 #2,783
2004 modern 2,247 #2,808
2005 modern 2,234 #2,792
2006 modern 2,276 #2,743
2007 modern 2,281 #2,764
2008 modern 2,302 #2,766
2009 modern 2,337 #2,794
2010 modern 2,372 #2,820
2011 modern 2,361 #2,793
2012 modern 2,267 #2,845
2013 modern 2,310 #2,843
2014 modern 2,303 #2,866
2015 modern 2,282 #2,855
2016 modern 2,267 #2,862

Geography

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Where Peets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, North Meols, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Wigan and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Allerdale. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 North Meols Lancashire
3 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
4 Wigan Lancashire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 012 Wigan
2 Wigan 032 Wigan
3 Wigan 011 Wigan
4 Wigan 018 Wigan
5 Allerdale 012 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Peet

These lists show first names that appear often with the Peet surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Peet

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Peet, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Peet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Peet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Peet is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Peet is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Peet falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Peet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Peet, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Peet

The surname Peet originated in England in the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle English word 'pet', which means a spoiled or indulged child. The name likely referred to someone who was considered spoiled or pampered.

The name Peet can be traced back to the county of Suffolk in East Anglia, where it was first recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Some of the earliest recorded spellings include Pette, Petit, and Petet.

In the 16th century, the name Peet began appearing in parish records across various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name had spread from its East Anglian origins.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Peet was John Peet, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Another early record is of William Peet, who was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1334.

During the 17th century, the name Peet was associated with several notable individuals. Robert Peet (1619-1687) was an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Compton in Berkshire. John Peet (1627-1692) was a nonconformist minister and author from Yorkshire.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name Peet was Joseph Peet (1756-1833), a British architect who designed several buildings in London, including St. Luke's Church in Chelsea.

Other historical figures with the surname Peet include William Peet (1797-1871), an English landscape painter, and Charles Peet (1834-1891), a British geologist and palaeontologist who made significant contributions to the study of fossil plants.

The name Peet has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Peet's Hill in Yorkshire and Peet's Lane in Lancashire, further indicating its long-standing presence in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Peet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peet surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 550 Peets recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 550 3.00x
Nottinghamshire 300 14.41x
Yorkshire 97 0.63x
Middlesex 91 0.59x
Leicestershire 79 4.61x
Lincolnshire 58 2.35x
Rutland 55 48.51x
Bedfordshire 40 5.00x
Derbyshire 38 1.57x
Surrey 38 0.51x
Cheshire 28 0.82x
Northamptonshire 27 1.86x
Cambridgeshire 26 2.66x
Hertfordshire 20 1.88x
Durham 19 0.41x
Cumberland 17 1.28x
Hampshire 15 0.47x
Warwickshire 11 0.28x
Inverness-shire 9 1.95x
Somerset 9 0.36x
Westmorland 9 2.65x
Gloucestershire 8 0.26x
Staffordshire 6 0.12x
Kent 5 0.09x
Glamorgan 4 0.15x
Norfolk 4 0.17x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.88x
Flintshire 3 0.72x
Wigtownshire 3 1.46x
Devon 2 0.06x
Isle of Man 2 0.70x
Northumberland 2 0.09x
Ayrshire 1 0.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.22x
Essex 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 90 Peets recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.18x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 90 50.18x
Newark Upon Trent 65 86.89x
Mansfield 55 76.37x
Nottingham St Mary 54 10.03x
Lathom 52 234.98x
Wigan 43 16.79x
Leicester St Margaret 32 7.66x
Ecclesall Bierlow 31 9.96x
Oakham Lordshold 26 219.04x
Pemberton 26 35.59x
Bickerstaffe 23 191.83x
Orrell 22 96.58x
Wilden 22 940.17x
Ormskirk 21 59.90x
St Pancras London 21 1.69x
Billinge Higher End 19 256.06x
West Derby 19 3.54x
Upholland 18 76.66x
Countesthorpe 17 291.10x
St Marylebone London 16 1.94x
Conington 15 1898.73x
Liverpool 15 1.35x
Stranton 14 9.05x
Camberwell 13 1.32x
Skelmersdale 13 42.57x
Everton 12 2.05x
Sedbergh 12 212.77x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 7.56x
Newton In Makerfield 11 19.60x
Portsea 11 1.77x
Sheffield 11 2.26x
Whaplode Drove 11 264.42x
Wigton 11 55.19x
Aughton 10 55.10x
Helpringham 10 201.21x
Hertingfordbury 10 230.41x
Radford 10 9.46x
Tixover 10 2222.22x
Balderton 9 158.17x
Carlton 9 37.89x
Chesterfield 9 9.93x
Halsall 9 124.31x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 9 196.51x
Hucknall Torkard 9 17.05x
Kilmonivaig 9 87.89x
Poplar London 9 3.09x
Preston 9 1.84x
Southwell 9 59.41x
Temple Bruer 9 849.06x
Bedminster 8 3.43x
Cotgrave 8 184.76x
Croydon 8 1.92x
Kendal 8 12.88x
Kensington London 8 0.93x
Lambley 8 188.24x
Salford 8 1.48x
Thornton In Fylde 8 19.96x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 7 25.37x
Daventry 7 34.06x
Doncaster 7 6.26x
Great Casterton 7 409.36x
Isleworth 7 10.20x
Parr 7 10.68x
Stockport 7 3.99x
Wombwell 7 15.69x
Wymington 7 267.18x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 11.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.06x
Crowland 6 38.73x
Doddington 6 83.57x
Golborne 6 25.13x
Ince In Makerfield 6 7.04x
Lambeth 6 0.45x
Morley 6 7.54x
Ruddington 6 43.01x
Scarisbrick 6 28.21x
Snenton 6 7.34x
South Collingham 6 146.34x
Sutton 6 11.02x
Walsall Foreign 6 2.23x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Peet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Peet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 122
John 100
Thomas 69
James 62
Joseph 46
George 45
Henry 39
Richard 39
Alfred 23
Charles 17
Edward 16
Arthur 14
Robert 14
Samuel 14
Walter 13
Albert 9
Frederick 9
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Stephen 6
Fred 5
Tom 5
Benjamin 4
Isaac 4
Peter 4
Aaron 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Infant 3
Major 3
Marson 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Joe 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Reuben 2
Adolphus 1
Alexr.B. 1
Alf. 1
Cecil 1
Clements 1
David 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Fred.A.W. 1
Jno.William 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Peet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,586 people were recorded with the Peet surname. That placed it at #2,675 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,267 in 2016. That gives Peet a modern rank of #2,862.

What does the Peet surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "pit" or "hollow."

What does the Peet map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Peet bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.