NameCensus.

UK surname

Petch

A surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the village of Petch in Suffolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,326 people recorded with the Petch surname, ranking it #3,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,841, ranked #3,443, down from #3,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, St James and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, East Riding of Yorkshire and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Petch is 1,923 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.8%.

1881 census count

1,326

Ranked #3,097

Modern count

1,841

2016, ranked #3,443

Peak year

1999

1,923 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Petch had 1,326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,841 in 2016, ranked #3,443.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,738 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Petch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Petch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Petch 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 889 #3,083
1861 historical 677 #3,966
1881 historical 1,326 #3,097
1891 historical 1,266 #3,411
1901 historical 1,629 #3,175
1911 historical 1,738 #2,823
1997 modern 1,881 #3,205
1998 modern 1,904 #3,287
1999 modern 1,923 #3,280
2000 modern 1,874 #3,342
2001 modern 1,830 #3,343
2002 modern 1,867 #3,356
2003 modern 1,818 #3,368
2004 modern 1,839 #3,335
2005 modern 1,811 #3,356
2006 modern 1,808 #3,360
2007 modern 1,823 #3,363
2008 modern 1,831 #3,384
2009 modern 1,877 #3,383
2010 modern 1,891 #3,438
2011 modern 1,852 #3,445
2012 modern 1,800 #3,482
2013 modern 1,855 #3,439
2014 modern 1,863 #3,455
2015 modern 1,845 #3,457
2016 modern 1,841 #3,443

Geography

Back to top

Where Petchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, St James, London parishes, Culford and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, East Riding of Yorkshire, Bury, Hambleton and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 St James Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Culford Suffolk
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 006 Dover
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Bury 001 Bury
4 Hambleton 001 Hambleton
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Petch

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Petch

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Petch, 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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Petch is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Petch is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Petch falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Petch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Petch

The surname Petch is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pett," meaning a small parcel of land or a small farm. This suggests that the name was likely initially held by someone who worked on or owned a small plot of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Petch can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, dated around 1273, where it appears as "Petz." This provides evidence that the name had already established itself in England by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Petch surname surfaced in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1545, where one John Petch is mentioned. This indicates that the name had spread across different regions of England by that time.

The Petch surname is also linked to certain place names, such as Petch Moor in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which may have influenced the naming conventions of families living in or near that area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Petch surname. One such person was Sir Henry Petch (1806-1868), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edmund Petch (1896-1986), a British metallurgist and academic who made significant contributions to the understanding of the mechanical properties of metals. He was awarded the Copley Medal, one of the highest honors in British science, in 1964.

In the realm of sports, David Petch (born 1955) was a British footballer who played as a midfielder for several English clubs, including Sunderland and Middlesbrough, during the 1970s and 1980s.

The Petch surname also has a connection to the literary world through John Petch (1789-1868), an English author and compiler of "A Biographical Sketch of the Life and Writings of Samuel Taylor Coleridge," published in 1838.

Lastly, Wilfred Petch (1891-1964) was a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits, many of which can be found in galleries across the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Petch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Petch 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. Yorkshire leads with 548 Petchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 548 4.27x
Suffolk 170 10.78x
Lincolnshire 150 7.25x
Middlesex 111 0.86x
Lancashire 58 0.38x
Durham 53 1.38x
Cambridgeshire 49 5.98x
Norfolk 37 1.86x
Kent 24 0.54x
Northumberland 20 1.04x
Surrey 20 0.32x
Hertfordshire 9 1.01x
Worcestershire 9 0.53x
Warwickshire 7 0.21x
Essex 6 0.23x
Gloucestershire 6 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.34x
Cumberland 5 0.45x
Derbyshire 5 0.25x
Leicestershire 5 0.35x
Oxfordshire 5 0.63x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.57x
Cheshire 3 0.11x
Denbighshire 3 0.61x
Devon 3 0.11x
Flintshire 3 0.86x
Hampshire 3 0.11x
Merionethshire 2 0.84x
Royal Navy 1 0.65x
Rutland 1 1.05x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury St Edmunds St James in Suffolk leads with 40 Petchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.99x.

Place Total Index
Bury St Edmunds St James 40 94.99x
Holy Trinity 39 12.64x
Falsgrave 26 137.57x
Culford 23 1742.42x
Scarborough 21 18.02x
Sculcoates 21 10.33x
Garton On Wolds 19 826.09x
Islington London 19 1.51x
Eskdaleside 18 285.26x
Skelton In Guisbrough 18 51.87x
Leeds 17 2.35x
St Pancras London 17 1.63x
Fornham All Sts 15 797.87x
Middlesbrough 15 8.98x
Doncaster 14 14.94x
Everton 13 2.66x
Isleham 13 172.87x
Laceby 13 288.25x
Richmond 13 64.87x
Thetford St Cuthbert 13 180.56x
Hackney London 12 1.65x
Kensington London 12 1.67x
Guisbrough 11 39.24x
Liverton 11 371.62x
Lofthouse 11 57.44x
Tottenham 11 5.34x
Wisbech St Peter 11 26.75x
Fornham St Martin 10 729.93x
South Elmshall 10 427.35x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 9 30.42x
Hengrave 9 1022.73x
Icklingham 9 476.19x
Kexby 9 625.00x
Marton 9 461.54x
Sutton Stoneferry 9 24.52x
Worcester St John 9 44.58x
Barrow On Humber 8 66.61x
Bradfield St George 8 408.16x
Brickendon 8 193.24x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.18x
Byers Green 8 73.66x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 3.28x
East Halton 8 278.75x
North South Killingholme 8 233.24x
Norton In Malton 8 51.45x
Soham 8 45.35x
Sturton Bransby 8 279.72x
Bainton 7 395.48x
Beswick 7 642.20x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.24x
Bishopwearmouth 7 2.12x
Boroughbridge 7 162.41x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 7.18x
Fornham St Geneveve 7 1666.67x
Great Bolton 7 3.44x
Kirton In Lindsey 7 85.37x
Monkwearmouth 7 18.99x
Morley 7 10.50x
Nafferton 7 127.97x
Skerne 7 897.44x
Sproughton 7 253.62x
Stoke Newington London 7 6.94x
Bedale 6 128.48x
Beverley St Nicholas 6 57.03x
Bransdale West Side 6 697.67x
Frodingham 6 81.41x
Gayton 6 178.57x
Great Driffield 6 22.80x
Lackford 6 769.23x
Lowthorpe 6 689.66x
Middleton On Wolds 6 212.77x
Morton In Gainsborough 6 147.42x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 5.22x
Newington 6 1.25x
North Cave Drewton 6 118.81x
North Frodingham 6 198.68x
Sledmere Cum Croom 6 269.06x
St Mary Cray 6 71.01x
Westgate 6 5.03x
Willesden 6 4.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 94
John 74
George 53
James 44
Joseph 34
Thomas 33
Robert 26
Henry 22
Charles 20
Alfred 17
Arthur 14
David 14
Walter 12
Francis 11
Richard 11
Frederick 10
Harry 8
Edward 7
Frank 7
Herbert 6
Wm. 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Fredk. 4
Stephen 4
Albert 3
Geo. 3
Ruben 3
Tom 3
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Infant 2
Montague 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Rowland 2
Samuel 2
Theophilus 2
Thompson 2
Thos. 2
Amos 1
Bethel 1
Chares 1
Erenest 1
Ezra 1
Frances 1
Isaac 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Petch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Petch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,326 people were recorded with the Petch surname. That placed it at #3,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Petch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,841 in 2016. That gives Petch a modern rank of #3,443.

What does the Petch surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the village of Petch in Suffolk, England.

What does the Petch map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Petch 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.