NameCensus.

UK surname

Petrie

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Montrose in Angus, likely meaning "rock" or "rocky place."

In the 1881 census there were 3,570 people recorded with the Petrie surname, ranking it #1,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,036, ranked #1,346, down from #1,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Douglas West, Keith and Fife Keith and The Glens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Petrie is 5,097 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.1%.

1881 census count

3,570

Ranked #1,265

Modern count

5,036

2016, ranked #1,346

Peak year

2010

5,097 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Petrie had 3,570 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,036 in 2016, ranked #1,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,150 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Petrie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Petrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Petrie 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 2,549 #1,161
1861 historical 2,496 #1,171
1881 historical 3,570 #1,265
1891 historical 3,743 #1,279
1901 historical 4,150 #1,356
1911 historical 1,003 #4,537
1997 modern 4,709 #1,386
1998 modern 4,976 #1,372
1999 modern 4,989 #1,376
2000 modern 4,964 #1,375
2001 modern 4,826 #1,384
2002 modern 4,920 #1,382
2003 modern 4,787 #1,387
2004 modern 4,814 #1,372
2005 modern 4,842 #1,345
2006 modern 4,839 #1,347
2007 modern 4,883 #1,352
2008 modern 4,914 #1,352
2009 modern 5,072 #1,346
2010 modern 5,097 #1,362
2011 modern 5,012 #1,366
2012 modern 4,910 #1,365
2013 modern 5,022 #1,354
2014 modern 5,011 #1,369
2015 modern 5,003 #1,354
2016 modern 5,036 #1,346

Geography

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Where Petries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Douglas West, Keith and Fife Keith, The Glens, Huntly and Heldon West, Fogwatt to Inchberry. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Douglas West Dundee City
2 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
3 The Glens Dundee City
4 Huntly Aberdeenshire
5 Heldon West, Fogwatt to Inchberry Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Petrie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Petrie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Petrie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Petrie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Petrie 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

Petrie is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Petrie falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Petrie

The surname Petrie has its origins in Scotland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "petrin," meaning a small loaf of bread or a baker's kneading trough. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a baker or someone involved in the baking trade.

In the early records, the name is found with various spellings, such as Petrie, Petre, Petry, and Pettry. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In this document, the name appears as "Robert Petre."

The Petrie surname is closely associated with the Scottish county of Angus, particularly the town of Arbroath. This area was known for its monastic communities and abbeys, where baking and bread production were important activities. It is likely that the name originated from individuals involved in these activities.

During the Middle Ages, the name appears in various Scottish charters and records. For instance, in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, there is a mention of "Gilbertus Petry" in 1455 and "Robertus Petry" in 1472, both from the county of Angus.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Petrie was George Petrie (c. 1515-1589), a Scottish ecclesiastical lawyer and writer. He served as a Lord of Session and was instrumental in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Petrie (1624-1677), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1674 to 1676. He played a significant role in the city's governance during a turbulent period of Scottish history.

In the field of archaeology, one of the most renowned figures was Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853-1942), often referred to as the "Father of Palestinian Archaeology." He pioneered systematic archaeological techniques and made significant contributions to the study of ancient Egypt and the Near East.

Other notable individuals with the surname Petrie include William Petrie (1786-1842), a Scottish artist and engraver known for his landscapes and architectural engravings, and Victor Petrie (1888-1946), a Canadian painter and illustrator who captured the landscapes and daily life of the Canadian Prairies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Petrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Petrie 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. Angus leads with 965 Petries recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.00x.

County Total Index
Angus 965 30.00x
Aberdeenshire 419 13.03x
Midlothian 290 6.24x
Fife 215 10.46x
Lanarkshire 190 1.69x
Perthshire 177 11.36x
Lancashire 164 0.40x
Orkney 118 30.89x
Durham 111 1.07x
Morayshire 105 19.46x
Kincardineshire 100 23.65x
Middlesex 96 0.28x
Northumberland 84 1.63x
Shetland 77 21.72x
Banffshire 72 10.00x
Ayrshire 65 2.50x
Surrey 35 0.21x
Kent 31 0.26x
Yorkshire 23 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 20 6.98x
Cheshire 17 0.22x
Hampshire 17 0.24x
Renfrewshire 13 0.48x
Derbyshire 12 0.22x
Stirlingshire 12 0.94x
Essex 11 0.16x
Gloucestershire 11 0.16x
Cumberland 10 0.33x
Caithness 9 1.89x
Dunbartonshire 9 0.96x
Inverness-shire 9 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.19x
Warwickshire 9 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 7 0.91x
Nairnshire 7 6.61x
Lincolnshire 5 0.09x
Sussex 5 0.09x
Norfolk 4 0.07x
Westmorland 4 0.52x
Wiltshire 3 0.10x
Argyllshire 2 0.21x
Berwickshire 2 0.48x
Devon 2 0.03x
Leicestershire 2 0.05x
Peeblesshire 2 1.22x
Roxburghshire 2 0.32x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
East Lothian 1 0.22x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.20x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.24x
West Lothian 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 240 Petries recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.99x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 240 19.99x
Forfar 160 91.87x
St Vigeans 125 72.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 113 18.78x
Liff Benvie 102 20.89x
Arbroath 101 94.76x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 97 5.18x
Govan 82 2.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 71 10.58x
Montrose 66 33.86x
South Ronaldshay 56 141.66x
Barony 55 1.94x
South Leith 54 10.32x
Perth East Church 44 29.95x
Castleton 30 7.29x
Kirkmichael 30 296.74x
Yell Mid 29 247.44x
Elgin 27 25.73x
Monifieth 27 23.77x
Huntly 26 49.70x
Glasgow 24 1.20x
Laurencekirk 24 98.00x
Dunfermline 23 7.28x
Holm 23 179.69x
North Leith 23 10.69x
Edinkillie 22 156.47x
Forgue 22 76.18x
Byker 21 8.22x
Elswick 21 5.09x
St Andrews Deerness 21 104.58x
Wardleworth 21 8.92x
Alloa 20 14.38x
Brechin 20 15.82x
Collessie 20 84.53x
Fetteresso 20 30.19x
Kettle 20 81.07x
Penicuik 20 31.65x
Blairgowrie 19 30.83x
Newhills 19 28.86x
Duffus 18 37.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 18 4.02x
Liverpool 18 0.72x
Unst 18 69.42x
Toxteth Park 17 1.22x
Fetlar North Yell 16 311.89x
Inveravon 16 52.12x
Kemnay 16 82.09x
Kirkden 16 79.52x
Kirkwall St Ola 16 27.97x
Kensington London 15 0.78x
Kirkcaldy 15 14.72x
St Pancras London 15 0.54x
Auchindoir Kearn 14 77.56x
Dysart 14 10.12x
Islington London 14 0.42x
Kilmarnock 14 4.53x
Arbirlot 13 132.79x
Ballingry 13 102.52x
Kincardine O Neil 13 56.62x
Monikie 13 77.11x
Monymusk 13 94.41x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 13 4.21x
Newtyle 13 119.27x
Oldham 13 0.98x
Perth West Church 13 17.58x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.31x
Kilwinning 12 14.30x
Mains 12 43.91x
Monkwearmouth Shore 12 5.95x
Mortlach 12 34.13x
Nigg 12 34.32x
Auchtergaven 11 42.11x
Bishopwearmouth 11 1.24x
Cathcart 11 7.56x
Gorton 11 2.84x
Kilmaurs 11 24.88x
Lerwick Gulberwick 11 20.04x
Maryhill 11 5.00x
Markinch 10 14.33x
Straiton 10 67.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 26
Margaret 17
Ann 15
Jane 15
Sarah 15
Isabella 10
Annie 9
Jessie 9
Catherine 8
Ellen 8
Emma 7
Edith 6
Florence 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Alice 4
Kate 4
Charlotte 3
Eleanor 3
Eliza 3
Gertrude 3
Henrietta 3
Martha 3
Rachel 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Bridget 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Eunice 2
Harriet 2
Henretta 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Margurite 2
Maud 2
Anna 1
Bella 1
Caroline 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizh. 1
Ellan 1
Elleanor 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Wilhelmena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 41
James 31
Alexander 20
Charles 20
George 16
David 15
Robert 10
Thomas 9
Alfred 8
Joseph 6
Wm. 6
Frank 5
Andrew 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Archibald 3
Douglas 3
Frederick 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Alex 2
Arthur 2
Chas.A. 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Hugh 2
Laurence 2
Stephen 2
Thos.M. 2
Alick 1
C. 1
Conrad 1
Edw. 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Jas.A. 1
Jemima 1
Jno.N. 1
Lawrence 1
Magnus 1
Marshal 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Petrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Petrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,570 people were recorded with the Petrie surname. That placed it at #1,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Petrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,036 in 2016. That gives Petrie a modern rank of #1,346.

What does the Petrie surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Montrose in Angus, likely meaning "rock" or "rocky place."

What does the Petrie map show?

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