NameCensus.

UK surname

Peterson

Derived from the given name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone," combined with the patronymic suffix -son.

In the 1881 census there were 1,518 people recorded with the Peterson surname, ranking it #2,768 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,475, ranked #1,949, up from #2,768 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Walls and Sandness and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Mainland, Lerwick North and East and West Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peterson is 3,475 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 128.9%.

1881 census count

1,518

Ranked #2,768

Modern count

3,475

2016, ranked #1,949

Peak year

2016

3,475 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peterson had 1,518 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,768 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,475 in 2016, ranked #1,949.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,078 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Peterson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Peterson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Peterson 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 966 #2,885
1861 historical 1,118 #2,509
1881 historical 1,518 #2,768
1891 historical 1,838 #2,495
1901 historical 2,078 #2,582
1911 historical 1,766 #2,780
1997 modern 2,763 #2,322
1998 modern 2,883 #2,326
1999 modern 2,946 #2,297
2000 modern 2,926 #2,300
2001 modern 2,835 #2,313
2002 modern 2,893 #2,327
2003 modern 2,823 #2,329
2004 modern 2,882 #2,287
2005 modern 2,894 #2,243
2006 modern 2,851 #2,278
2007 modern 2,914 #2,246
2008 modern 2,930 #2,248
2009 modern 2,983 #2,262
2010 modern 3,138 #2,200
2011 modern 3,144 #2,168
2012 modern 3,256 #2,066
2013 modern 3,357 #2,044
2014 modern 3,439 #2,012
2015 modern 3,442 #1,981
2016 modern 3,475 #1,949

Geography

Back to top

Where Petersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Walls and Sandness, Toxteth Park, Edinburgh and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Mainland, Lerwick North, East and West Mainland, Central Shetland and Doncaster. 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 3
2 Walls and Sandness Shetland
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Mainland Shetland Islands
2 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
3 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
4 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
5 Doncaster 004 Doncaster

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Peterson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Peterson

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Peterson 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

Peterson 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

Peterson 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 Peterson 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 Peterson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Peterson

The surname Peterson has its origins in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from the given name of the father or an ancestor. In this case, Peterson is derived from the personal name Peter, which comes from the Greek word "petros," meaning "rock."

The earliest recorded instances of the Peterson surname date back to the 13th century in various regions of Scandinavia. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Petrus Petersson, a Swedish priest who lived in the late 13th century. Another early example is Jon Petersson, a Norwegian farmer mentioned in a land record from the year 1340.

As the surname spread across Scandinavia, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Pedersson, Pedersson, and Pederzen. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic variations within the region.

In the 16th century, the Peterson surname began to appear in records outside of Scandinavia, particularly in areas with strong trade links or settlements from Scandinavian countries. One notable example is Hans Peterson, a Danish explorer who accompanied the explorer John Davis on his voyage to the Arctic in 1585.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Peterson. Henrik Petersen (1568-1646) was a Danish astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. Another notable figure was Anna Petterson (1623-1688), a Swedish woman who was accused of witchcraft during the infamous Torsåker witch trials.

In the 19th century, the Peterson surname gained prominence in the United States due to the influx of Scandinavian immigrants. One notable American bearer of the name was Peter Peterson (1825-1899), a Danish-American businessman and politician who served as the 12th Governor of Utah Territory.

Another significant figure was Frederik Petersen (1839-1912), a Danish-American artist known for his landscape paintings depicting the American West. His works are held in notable collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Lastly, Gustav Petersen (1865-1939) was a Norwegian-American engineer and inventor who is credited with developing the first commercially successful gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Petersen Hybrid, in the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and diverse individuals who have borne the surname Peterson throughout the centuries, reflecting its Scandinavian origins and its global spread over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Peterson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peterson 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. Shetland leads with 300 Petersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 197.72x.

County Total Index
Shetland 300 197.72x
Middlesex 273 1.84x
Lancashire 214 1.21x
Durham 102 2.31x
Yorkshire 93 0.63x
Midlothian 55 2.76x
Kent 43 0.85x
Lanarkshire 43 0.89x
Surrey 42 0.58x
Northumberland 38 1.72x
Gloucestershire 28 0.96x
Hampshire 23 0.76x
Lincolnshire 23 0.97x
Essex 22 0.75x
Glamorgan 22 0.85x
Somerset 19 0.79x
Cheshire 15 0.46x
Aberdeenshire 14 1.02x
Devon 12 0.39x
Monmouthshire 12 1.12x
Perthshire 11 1.65x
Warwickshire 10 0.27x
Royal Navy 9 5.08x
Ayrshire 8 0.72x
Fife 8 0.91x
Suffolk 8 0.44x
Argyllshire 7 1.69x
Norfolk 7 0.31x
Clackmannanshire 6 4.89x
Sussex 6 0.24x
Northamptonshire 5 0.36x
Wiltshire 5 0.38x
Angus 4 0.29x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.67x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.64x
Renfrewshire 4 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.02x
Anglesey 2 0.76x
Cornwall 2 0.12x
Flintshire 2 0.50x
Inverness-shire 2 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.42x
Stirlingshire 2 0.37x
Wigtownshire 2 1.01x
Berkshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.25x
Kincardineshire 1 0.55x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.47x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Orkney 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 70 Petersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.73x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 70 11.73x
Liverpool 59 5.51x
Sandsting Aitsting 58 421.82x
Northmavine 43 372.29x
Bethnal Green London 37 5.73x
Lerwick Gulberwick 33 140.55x
St George In East 32 31.67x
Delting 29 339.98x
Holy Trinity 27 7.62x
Shoreditch London 26 4.04x
Tingwall 26 343.01x
Walls 26 353.26x
Mile End Old Town 24 10.23x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 23 172.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 2.62x
Kirkdale 21 7.08x
Farnworth 20 18.93x
South Shields 18 45.72x
Unst 18 162.16x
West Ham 18 2.78x
Poplar London 17 6.06x
North Shields 16 36.27x
North Leith 15 16.29x
Odcombe 15 473.19x
Barony 14 1.15x
Bromley London 14 4.28x
Camberwell 14 1.48x
Greenwich 14 5.92x
Hackney London 14 1.68x
Westoe 14 5.59x
St Pancras London 13 1.09x
Clee With Weelsby 12 23.08x
Crook Billy Row 12 21.20x
Fetlar North Yell 12 545.45x
Walls Sandness 12 409.56x
Whiteness Weisdale 12 262.01x
Alverstoke 11 9.98x
Great Grimsby 11 7.30x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 3.65x
Newington 10 1.82x
Sunderland 10 12.81x
Woolwich 10 5.34x
Bishopwearmouth 9 2.37x
Glasgow 9 1.05x
Horfield 9 30.70x
Limehouse London 9 5.52x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 10.43x
Sculcoates 9 3.86x
Stranton 9 6.05x
Birmingham 8 0.64x
Cardiff St Mary 8 5.61x
Everton 8 1.42x
St Giles In Fields 8 15.61x
St Luke London 8 3.36x
Tibbermore 8 83.68x
Campbeltown 7 14.03x
Cramond 7 46.42x
Govan 7 0.59x
Heaton Norris 7 6.98x
Islington London 7 0.49x
Lowestoft 7 8.19x
New Cumnock 7 36.31x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 5.30x
Swanscombe 7 30.74x
Throston 7 82.55x
Alloa 6 10.08x
Birse 6 107.72x
Drypool 6 26.62x
Halifax 6 2.78x
Hessle In Sculcoates 6 46.15x
Houghton Le Spring 6 19.64x
Manningham 6 3.31x
Spitalfields London 6 5.37x
Swansea Town 6 2.83x
Cranbrook 5 23.29x
Portsea 5 0.84x
Southcoates 5 6.12x
St Woollos 5 4.17x
Walls Sandness Papa 5 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 66
William 47
Peter 40
James 28
George 27
Charles 24
Thomas 20
Henry 19
Edward 17
Frederick 15
Arthur 9
Carl 9
Christian 9
Robert 9
Alfred 8
Andrew 8
Joseph 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Geo. 4
August 3
C. 3
Christopher 3
Frank 3
Hans 3
Herbert 3
Lawrence 3
Martin 3
Oscar 3
Otto 3
P. 3
Adam 2
Adolph 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Fred. 2
Fredk. 2
J.W. 2
Jas. 2
Johan 2
Lars 2
Ole 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Constantine 1

FAQ

Peterson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peterson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,518 people were recorded with the Peterson surname. That placed it at #2,768 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peterson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,475 in 2016. That gives Peterson a modern rank of #1,949.

What does the Peterson surname mean?

Derived from the given name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone," combined with the patronymic suffix -son.

What does the Peterson map show?

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