NameCensus.

UK surname

Petcher

A medieval occupational surname denoting one who made or sold pitchers or jugs.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Petcher surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, up from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tamworth and Market Bosworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Barrow-in-Furness and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Petcher is 184 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 128.4%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

1999

184 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Petcher had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Petcher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Petcher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Petcher 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 177 #19,523
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 176 #19,698
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 175 #19,690
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 173 #19,995
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 177 #20,560
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 166 #22,075
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Petchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tamworth, Market Bosworth, Ibstock and Hucknall Torkard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Barrow-in-Furness and Bradford. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tamworth Staffordshire
3 Market Bosworth Leicestershire
4 Ibstock Leicestershire
5 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 004 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Bradford 031 Bradford
5 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Petcher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Petcher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Petcher, 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 Petcher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Petcher 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Petcher is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Petcher is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Petcher falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Petcher 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 Petcher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Petcher

The surname Petcher is believed to have originated from England during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "pæccan," meaning to patch or mend, indicating an occupational surname for a repairman or tailor. Alternatively, it could be connected to the Old French "pecheur," meaning fisherman, suggesting a connection to the fishing trade in coastal regions.

The name Petcher is recorded in various historical documents, showing its presence in England for centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances was in the Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where a Robert Petcher is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates the surname's early establishment in northern England.

By the 15th century, the surname had variations in its spelling, including Pecher and Petchre, reflecting regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling. In the 16th century, a notable individual bearing the surname was John Petcher, born in 1543, who was documented as a landowner in Lincolnshire. His estate records have provided insights into rural life of that era.

During the English Civil War in the mid-17th century, the name appears in military records. Captain Thomas Petcher, born in 1620, served in the Parliamentary forces and was noted for his involvement in the Battle of Naseby in 1645. His military career highlights the participation of individuals with this surname in significant historical events.

In the 18th century, the Petcher name continued to appear in parish registers and wills. Elizabeth Petcher, born in 1701 in Norfolk, left a detailed will in 1765 that provides valuable information about her family and property. This record shows the surname's spread to different parts of England, beyond its original locations.

The 19th century saw the Petcher name appear in immigration records, with families emigrating to places like Australia and the United States. One such migrant was William Petcher, born in 1823 in Derbyshire, who moved to America in 1848 and became a notable figure in his local community in Ohio. His journey represents broader migration patterns of the time.

Throughout history, the surname Petcher has been associated with various professions and social standings, reflecting the diverse lives of its bearers. The surname has been recorded from medieval feudal documents to parish records, painting a rich tapestry of historical relevance for this English-origin name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Petcher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Petcher 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. Leicestershire leads with 20 Petchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.60x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 20 27.60x
Warwickshire 13 7.89x
Nottinghamshire 6 6.81x
Yorkshire 6 0.93x
Middlesex 5 0.77x
Staffordshire 4 1.81x
Surrey 4 1.26x
Essex 3 2.33x
Lancashire 2 0.26x
Derbyshire 1 0.98x
Durham 1 0.51x
Norfolk 1 1.00x
Sussex 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shackerstone in Leicestershire leads with 11 Petchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 18333.33x.

Place Total Index
Shackerstone 11 18333.33x
Barlestone 7 4375.00x
Birmingham 6 10.92x
Hucknall Torkard 6 269.06x
Bolehall Glascote 4 571.43x
Horton In Bradford 4 39.56x
Reigate Borough 4 547.95x
St Pancras London 4 7.60x
Hatfield Peverel 3 1071.43x
Barrow In Furness 2 18.96x
Bilston 2 46.73x
Leek Wootten 2 2222.22x
Bagworth 1 714.29x
Brighton 1 4.50x
Derby St Peter 1 30.67x
Edgbaston 1 19.57x
Fazeley 1 250.00x
Great Driffield 1 75.19x
Hammersmith London 1 6.21x
Southcoates 1 27.78x
Stockton On Tees 1 10.67x
Swepstone 1 833.33x
Thetford St Peter 1 384.62x
Wigginton 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Hannah 4
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Annie 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Carry 1
Debera 1
Edith 1
Elisa 1
Emma 1
Francis 1
Laura 1
Mary 1
Maude 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Sharlotte 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Petcher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Petcher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Petcher surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Petcher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Petcher a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Petcher surname mean?

A medieval occupational surname denoting one who made or sold pitchers or jugs.

What does the Petcher map show?

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