NameCensus.

UK surname

Petersen

Son of Peter, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone."

In the 1881 census there were 184 people recorded with the Petersen surname, ranking it #13,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,129, ranked #5,219, up from #13,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sevenoaks, Cambridge and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Petersen is 1,163 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 513.6%.

1881 census count

184

Ranked #13,551

Modern count

1,129

2016, ranked #5,219

Peak year

2014

1,163 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Petersen had 184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016, ranked #5,219.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 434 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Petersen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Petersen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Petersen 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
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 184 #13,551
1891 historical 191 #15,437
1901 historical 362 #10,173
1911 historical 434 #8,740
1997 modern 879 #6,077
1998 modern 941 #5,952
1999 modern 973 #5,825
2000 modern 945 #5,951
2001 modern 918 #5,987
2002 modern 1,015 #5,621
2003 modern 1,005 #5,567
2004 modern 1,029 #5,482
2005 modern 1,017 #5,473
2006 modern 1,014 #5,498
2007 modern 1,055 #5,365
2008 modern 1,059 #5,387
2009 modern 1,074 #5,429
2010 modern 1,124 #5,336
2011 modern 1,103 #5,359
2012 modern 1,113 #5,242
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,163 #5,150
2015 modern 1,135 #5,212
2016 modern 1,129 #5,219

Geography

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Where Petersens are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Sevenoaks, Cambridge, Maldon, The Vale of Glamorgan and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Clee Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sevenoaks 012 Sevenoaks
2 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
3 Maldon 007 Maldon
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 004 Vale of Glamorgan
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 025 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Petersen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Petersen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Petersen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Petersen 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Petersen 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

Petersen 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

Petersen falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Petersen 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Petersen

The surname Petersen originated in Scandinavia, primarily in Denmark and Norway, during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old Norse personal name Pétr, which was a variant of the name Peter, derived from the Greek word "petros" meaning "rock." The suffix "-sen" is a patronymic, indicating "son of."

In the late 12th century, records from the Danish town of Roskilde mention a man named Petrus Jacobsen, suggesting an early usage of the Petersen name. Similarly, the Norwegian Diplomatarium, a collection of medieval documents, includes references to individuals with the name Petersen as early as the 13th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Petersen name was Niels Petersen, a Danish clergyman and writer who lived in the late 15th century. He is known for his work "Jyske Krønike," a chronicle of the history of Jutland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Petersen name spread throughout Scandinavia and gained prominence. Jens Petersen, a Danish astronomer and mathematician born in 1547, made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and developed improved methods for calculating planetary movements.

The Petersen name also gained recognition in other parts of Europe. In Germany, Johannes Petersen, born in 1576, was a renowned theologian and writer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

In the 19th century, the Petersen name gained further prominence with individuals such as Niels Matthias Petersen, a Danish philologist and linguist born in 1791, who made significant contributions to the study of Old Norse literature and language.

Another notable figure was Julius Petersen, a Danish mathematician born in 1839, who is best known for his work on graph theory and the discovery of the Petersen graph, which bears his name.

The Petersen surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout Scandinavia, including the town of Petersenshavn in Denmark, which was named after a landowner named Petersen in the 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Petersen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Petersen 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. Midlothian leads with 30 Petersens recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.69x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 30 12.69x
Surrey 23 2.67x
Middlesex 21 1.19x
Northumberland 17 6.47x
Lancashire 16 0.76x
Durham 14 2.67x
Fife 7 6.70x
Essex 6 1.72x
Glamorgan 6 1.95x
Warwickshire 6 1.35x
Kent 5 0.83x
Lincolnshire 5 1.77x
Suffolk 4 1.86x
Yorkshire 4 0.23x
Cornwall 3 1.50x
Devon 2 0.54x
Hampshire 2 0.55x
Lanarkshire 2 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.61x
Dorset 1 0.86x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.11x
Herefordshire 1 1.38x
Norfolk 1 0.37x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.78x
Staffordshire 1 0.17x
Stirlingshire 1 1.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leith North in Midlothian leads with 25 Petersens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5555.56x.

Place Total Index
Leith North 25 5555.56x
Liverpool 13 10.22x
North Shields 7 133.59x
Poplar London 7 21.01x
Rotherhithe 7 32.10x
Cardiff St Mary 6 35.44x
Edgbaston 6 43.48x
Newcastle On Tyne 6 2142.86x
Great Grimsby 5 27.90x
Sunderland 5 53.88x
Beccles 4 115.61x
Bishopwearmouth 4 8.87x
Camberwell 4 3.55x
East Ham 4 61.82x
Leith South 4 1250.00x
Penge 4 35.46x
South Shields 4 85.47x
Holy Trinity 3 7.13x
Lambeth 3 1.95x
Southwark St Saviour 3 33.08x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 31.85x
Ferry Port On Craig 2 116.28x
Glasgow 2 1.97x
Inverkeithing 2 127.39x
Islington London 2 1.17x
Jesmond 2 54.05x
Madron Penzance 2 27.51x
Milton In Gravesend 2 22.15x
Shoreditch London 2 2.61x
Southampton St Mary 2 8.79x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 5.63x
St Anne Soho London 2 19.84x
Wanstead 2 32.79x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 2.93x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.51x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 17.95x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.30x
Bothkennar 1 51.55x
Bromley London 1 2.57x
Colwall 1 111.11x
Dumbarton 1 15.15x
Dunfermline 1 6.22x
Earsdon 1 46.73x
Falmouth 1 14.14x
Great Yarmouth 1 4.45x
Greenwich 1 3.56x
Hackney London 1 1.01x
Handsworth 1 6.81x
Kirkdale 1 2.84x
Leeds 1 1.01x
Limehouse London 1 5.16x
Lundy Island 1 909.09x
Milford Haven 1 217.39x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.53x
Poole St James 1 22.99x
Shadwell London 1 20.24x
South Leith 1 3.76x
St Andrews 1 21.01x
St Marylebone London 1 1.06x
St Stephen Coleman 1 212.77x
Stranton 1 5.66x
Toxteth Park 1 1.41x
Wemyss 1 22.62x
Westminster St John 1 4.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Amalie 2
Ann 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Rachel 2
Ada 1
Alvailde 1
Amanda 1
Amena 1
Anna 1
Antonette 1
Bridget 1
Catharina 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Henriette 1
Henry 1
Jane 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Kjerstine 1
Lana 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Mathilde 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Peter 8
John 6
Carl 5
Charles 5
Johan 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Christian 2
Jens 2
Ludwig 2
Theodor 2
Walter 2
Anton 1
Armon 1
Aujust 1
Benjamin 1
Charl 1
Christina 1
Ejnar 1
F.O. 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Grejers 1
H. 1
Hans 1
Harold 1
Haus 1
Henry 1
Hinrich 1
Hirdrig 1
Ingvald 1
Isic 1
Jans 1
Jul 1
Karl 1
Kuna 1
Laurito 1
Loren 1
Louritz 1
Nicolay 1
Ole 1
Otto 1
P.C. 1
Petter 1
Soren 1
Swan 1
V. 1
Victor 1
William 1

FAQ

Petersen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Petersen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 184 people were recorded with the Petersen surname. That placed it at #13,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Petersen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016. That gives Petersen a modern rank of #5,219.

What does the Petersen surname mean?

Son of Peter, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone."

What does the Petersen map show?

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