NameCensus.

UK surname

Peters

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name Peter, meaning "stone" or "rock" in Greek.

In the 1881 census there were 10,486 people recorded with the Peters surname, ranking it #406 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 19,685, ranked #303, up from #406 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peters is 19,862 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.7%.

1881 census count

10,486

Ranked #406

Modern count

19,685

2016, ranked #303

Peak year

2014

19,862 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peters had 10,486 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #406 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 19,685 in 2016, ranked #303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,098 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Peters surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Peters surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Peters 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 6,260 #442
1861 historical 6,665 #418
1881 historical 10,486 #406
1891 historical 11,520 #387
1901 historical 13,533 #387
1911 historical 14,098 #346
1997 modern 18,526 #314
1998 modern 19,120 #316
1999 modern 19,161 #318
2000 modern 19,069 #315
2001 modern 18,626 #316
2002 modern 19,201 #311
2003 modern 18,845 #308
2004 modern 18,846 #309
2005 modern 18,576 #308
2006 modern 18,449 #310
2007 modern 18,667 #307
2008 modern 18,777 #309
2009 modern 19,332 #307
2010 modern 19,736 #308
2011 modern 19,387 #308
2012 modern 19,082 #305
2013 modern 19,626 #304
2014 modern 19,862 #304
2015 modern 19,684 #304
2016 modern 19,685 #303

Geography

Back to top

Where Peters' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Flintshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 034 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 043 Cornwall
5 Flintshire 017 Flintshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Peters

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Peters

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Peters, 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 Peters surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Peters 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, Peters 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

Peters is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Peters falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Peters

The surname Peters is of German origin, derived from the personal name Peter, which ultimately stems from the Greek word "petros" meaning "rock" or "stone". This surname first emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the Peters surname can be traced back to various regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. It was initially used as a patronymic surname, indicating that the bearer was the son of someone named Peter.

One of the earliest known references to the Peters surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, where a certain "Henricus Peters" was mentioned in a record dated 1292.

In England, the Peters surname is believed to have been introduced by German immigrants during the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable early bearer of this name was John Peters (c. 1594-1660), an English colonist and founder of the town of Andover, Massachusetts.

Another significant figure associated with the Peters surname was Hugh Peters (1598-1660), an English preacher and political figure who played a prominent role in the English Civil War and the trial of King Charles I.

In the realm of arts and literature, the name Peters is linked to Diane Peters (1938-2017), an American novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring themes of identity and family relationships.

The Peters surname also has a connection to the field of science, with Hermann Peters (1847-1920), a German botanist and mycologist who made significant contributions to the study of fungi.

Additionally, the Peters name has been carried by individuals in various other fields, such as Johannes Peters (1885-1966), a German Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of Lünen during World War II.

While the Peters surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries, often through immigration and cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Peters families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peters 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. Middlesex leads with 1,224 Peters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,224 1.19x
Surrey 1,158 2.32x
Lancashire 839 0.69x
Cornwall 735 6.34x
Kent 577 1.65x
Sussex 552 3.20x
Devon 408 1.91x
Warwickshire 315 1.22x
Gloucestershire 306 1.52x
Cambridgeshire 278 4.28x
Staffordshire 277 0.80x
Glamorgan 243 1.36x
Angus 232 2.44x
Somerset 224 1.36x
Yorkshire 216 0.21x
Flintshire 213 7.73x
Essex 204 1.01x
Lanarkshire 161 0.49x
Cheshire 153 0.68x
Hertfordshire 144 2.04x
Hampshire 111 0.53x
Aberdeenshire 103 1.09x
Dorset 102 1.52x
Denbighshire 91 2.35x
Worcestershire 88 0.66x
Durham 84 0.28x
Derbyshire 82 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 74 0.54x
Renfrewshire 74 0.93x
Pembrokeshire 72 2.21x
Shropshire 71 0.80x
Midlothian 70 0.51x
Monmouthshire 70 0.95x
Carmarthenshire 67 1.55x
Berkshire 60 0.78x
Anglesey 55 3.03x
Leicestershire 52 0.46x
Northumberland 51 0.33x
Ayrshire 43 0.56x
Lincolnshire 38 0.23x
Suffolk 38 0.30x
Wiltshire 35 0.39x
Herefordshire 34 0.81x
Huntingdonshire 34 1.67x
Perthshire 34 0.74x
Bedfordshire 33 0.62x
Cumberland 33 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 32 0.52x
Dunbartonshire 31 1.13x
Caernarfonshire 30 0.72x
Merionethshire 30 1.60x
Cardiganshire 29 1.16x
Fife 29 0.48x
Northamptonshire 25 0.26x
Norfolk 22 0.14x
Royal Navy 19 1.56x
Brecknockshire 12 0.59x
Channel Islands 10 0.33x
Clackmannanshire 9 1.06x
Banffshire 8 0.38x
Oxfordshire 7 0.11x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 0.40x
Radnorshire 6 0.73x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.21x
Sutherland 5 0.63x
Westmorland 5 0.22x
Kinross-shire 4 1.54x
Argyllshire 3 0.11x
Isle of Man 3 0.16x
Morayshire 3 0.19x
Stirlingshire 3 0.08x
Berwickshire 1 0.08x
Buteshire 1 0.16x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x
Kincardineshire 1 0.08x
Roxburghshire 1 0.05x
Rutland 1 0.13x
West Lothian 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 142 Peters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 142 1.65x
Islington London 119 1.20x
Lambeth 117 1.31x
Brighton 114 3.27x
Camberwell 103 1.57x
Aston 100 1.41x
St Pancras London 93 1.13x
Battersea 87 2.31x
Hackney London 72 1.25x
Chelsea London 71 2.30x
Dorking 71 21.18x
Bedminster 68 4.39x
West Bromwich 67 3.38x
Kensington London 66 1.16x
Liverpool 66 0.89x
St Marylebone London 66 1.21x
Reigate Foreign 63 11.66x
Portslade 61 57.77x
Toxteth Park 60 1.46x
Shoreditch London 59 1.33x
Portsea 58 1.41x
Dundee 57 1.61x
Croydon 56 2.02x
Paddington London 56 1.49x
St Stithians 56 87.60x
West Ham 56 1.25x
Stoke Damerel 55 3.69x
Portland 54 14.94x
Wandsworth 54 5.48x
Mold 53 21.22x
West Derby 51 1.43x
Bethnal Green London 50 1.12x
Govan 50 0.61x
Horsham 50 14.90x
Maidstone 49 4.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 48 2.33x
St George In East 47 6.74x
Hawarden Pentrobin 46 104.86x
Tiverton 44 11.98x
Barony 43 0.51x
Whittlesford 43 144.44x
Great Bolton 42 2.61x
Gwennap 42 19.20x
Newington 42 1.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 41 2.17x
Swansea Town 40 2.74x
Hove 39 5.15x
Merthyr Tydfil 39 2.27x
Calstock 38 16.71x
Camborne 38 7.95x
Hitchin 38 11.92x
Aberdeen Old Machar 37 1.87x
Snodland 37 37.34x
St Luke London 36 2.19x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 35 0.63x
Deptford St Paul 34 1.26x
Greenwich 34 2.08x
St Ives 33 14.54x
Bermondsey 32 1.05x
Gerrans 32 102.30x
Mile End Old Town 32 1.98x
Mold Leeswood 32 51.35x
Stoke Climsland 32 43.21x
Falmouth 31 7.55x
Horley 31 37.05x
Lewisham 31 1.66x
Liff Benvie 31 2.15x
Salford 31 0.87x
Tormoham 31 3.44x
Bristol St Augustine 30 9.25x
Kingston On Thames 30 2.50x
Plymouth St Andrew 30 1.83x
Ystradyfodwg 30 1.92x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 29 1.63x
Bexley 29 9.38x
Chew Magna 29 50.18x
Hampstead London 29 1.82x
Illogan 29 9.44x
St Agnes 29 17.85x
St Vigeans 28 5.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 609
Elizabeth 387
Sarah 312
Jane 188
Ann 175
Emma 169
Eliza 160
Ellen 145
Alice 140
Emily 135
Annie 134
Margaret 101
Martha 86
Harriet 73
Hannah 71
Caroline 67
Catherine 65
Louisa 61
Fanny 57
Florence 56
Charlotte 54
Kate 54
Harriett 50
Susan 49
Clara 47
Maria 47
Edith 44
Ada 43
Agnes 33
Anne 33
Esther 32
Rose 32
Rebecca 31
Amelia 28
Lucy 28
Amy 27
Frances 26
Jessie 24
Bessie 23
Sophia 23
Julia 21
Matilda 20
Grace 19
Rachel 19
Minnie 18
Bertha 17
Eleanor 17
Ethel 17
Elizth. 16
Isabella 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 631
John 548
Thomas 310
James 305
George 302
Henry 203
Charles 193
Joseph 154
Edward 153
Alfred 108
Arthur 100
Frederick 96
Walter 91
Robert 89
Samuel 88
Richard 85
Albert 67
David 62
Harry 57
Frank 44
Edwin 39
Ernest 37
Herbert 36
Wm. 31
Peter 29
Benjamin 21
Francis 20
Fred 19
Thos. 19
Daniel 18
Alexander 17
Edmund 14
Isaac 14
Percy 14
Philip 14
Ralph 13
Sidney 13
Fredk. 12
Stephen 12
Leonard 11
Sydney 11
Geo. 10
Hugh 10
Jas. 10
Nicholas 10
Chas. 9
Jno. 9
Frederic 8
Fredrick 8
Simon 8

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Peters households.

FAQ

Peters surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peters surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,486 people were recorded with the Peters surname. That placed it at #406 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peters surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 19,685 in 2016. That gives Peters a modern rank of #303.

What does the Peters surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name Peter, meaning "stone" or "rock" in Greek.

What does the Peters map show?

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