NameCensus.

UK surname

Pettet

A Huguenot surname derived from the French diminutive of Pierre (Peter).

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Pettet surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 381, ranked #12,317, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Earl Soham and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Havering and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pettet is 507 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

381

2016, ranked #12,317

Peak year

1911

507 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pettet had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016, ranked #12,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 507 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pettet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pettet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pettet 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 352 #6,705
1861 historical 292 #8,626
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 415 #8,610
1901 historical 320 #11,142
1911 historical 507 #7,760
1997 modern 410 #10,800
1998 modern 424 #10,880
1999 modern 425 #10,954
2000 modern 445 #10,539
2001 modern 434 #10,539
2002 modern 448 #10,477
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 414 #10,899
2006 modern 399 #11,282
2007 modern 405 #11,270
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 423 #11,204
2010 modern 435 #11,208
2011 modern 425 #11,285
2012 modern 398 #11,755
2013 modern 403 #11,850
2014 modern 402 #11,949
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 381 #12,317

Geography

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Where Pettets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Earl Soham, Portsmouth, Portsea, All Saints Poplar and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Havering, Havant, Bassetlaw and Wealden. 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 Earl Soham Suffolk
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
2 Havering 017 Havering
3 Havant 003 Havant
4 Bassetlaw 012 Bassetlaw
5 Wealden 002 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pettet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pettet

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Pettet is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pettet is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pettet 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 Pettet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pettet

The surname Pettet has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "petit," meaning "small" or "little," and was likely a descriptive surname initially given to someone of small stature or a younger sibling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pettet surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Petitt," which was a common spelling variation at the time.

During the 13th century, the Pettet surname was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Robert Pettet, a merchant and landowner from the Normandy region of France, who was born around 1220. Another was Jehan Pettet, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France, born in 1307.

As the surname spread across Europe, it also took on various spellings and forms based on local dialects and languages. In England, for example, the name was sometimes spelled as "Pettit" or "Pettitt," while in Scotland, it was often rendered as "Pettie."

One of the most famous bearers of the Pettet surname was Sir William Pettet, an English military officer and member of Parliament, who lived from 1623 to 1707. He played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw the overthrow of King James II and the establishment of the constitutional monarchy in England.

Another notable figure was Jean-Baptiste Pettet, a French philosopher and writer born in 1754. He is best known for his work "Essai sur la Nature Humaine" (Essay on Human Nature), which explored themes of ethics, morality, and the human condition.

In the 19th century, the Pettet surname was associated with several prominent individuals in various fields. One such person was James Pettet, a British artist and painter born in 1828, known for his landscapes and portraits. Another was Thomas Pettet, an English architect born in 1849, who designed several notable buildings in London and other parts of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pettet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pettet 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. Kent leads with 63 Pettets recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.88x.

County Total Index
Kent 63 6.88x
Sussex 48 10.61x
Middlesex 46 1.71x
Cambridgeshire 14 8.24x
Hampshire 12 2.18x
Staffordshire 12 1.33x
Lancashire 11 0.35x
Essex 10 1.89x
Suffolk 8 2.45x
Surrey 8 0.61x
Warwickshire 8 1.18x
Derbyshire 7 1.67x
Hertfordshire 7 3.79x
Midlothian 7 1.95x
Yorkshire 6 0.23x
Bedfordshire 2 1.44x
Norfolk 2 0.48x
Northamptonshire 2 0.79x
Berkshire 1 0.50x
Lincolnshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deal in Kent leads with 20 Pettets recorded in 1881 and an index of 256.08x.

Place Total Index
Deal 20 256.08x
St Marylebone London 15 10.47x
Southwick 12 502.09x
Brighton 11 12.06x
Clerkenwell London 10 15.79x
Newchurch 9 34.56x
Portsea 9 8.35x
Aston 8 4.29x
Barcombe 8 733.95x
Maidstone 8 29.35x
Mile End Old Town 8 18.89x
Alfriston 7 1296.30x
Dronfield 7 130.11x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 4.84x
Weybread 7 1129.03x
Cheriton 6 160.86x
Loughton 6 229.01x
Tipton 6 21.64x
Borden 5 431.03x
Farnham 5 49.21x
Greenwich 5 11.71x
Hackney London 5 3.32x
Hemel Hempstead 5 60.02x
Nettlestead 5 909.09x
Sedgley 5 14.87x
St Lawrence 5 79.49x
St Peter Cambridge 5 877.19x
Barnsley 4 14.59x
Romford 4 47.79x
Hellingly 3 198.68x
Islington London 3 1.15x
Lewes St John Southover 3 98.68x
Lewisham 3 6.15x
St Andrewthe Less 3 15.46x
Borough Green 2 540.54x
Chailey 2 142.86x
Kirkdale 2 3.74x
Little Shelford 2 425.53x
Maulden 2 166.67x
Newington 2 2.02x
Royston 2 127.39x
Shoreditch London 2 1.72x
Sittingbourne 2 27.66x
Algarkirk 1 208.33x
Ashbury 1 158.73x
Awkley 1 400.00x
Bridge 1 126.58x
Bushbury 1 61.35x
East Stratton 1 322.58x
Eythorne 1 232.56x
Farnborough 1 17.33x
Great Wilbraham 1 200.00x
Hastings St Leonards 1 15.04x
Kensington London 1 0.67x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 46.95x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.97x
Mildenhall 1 28.82x
Paddington London 1 1.01x
Peterborough 1 5.47x
Rotherfield 1 25.13x
Rotherhithe 1 3.02x
Rushden 1 29.59x
Snettisham 1 87.72x
St Edward Cambridge 1 185.19x
St George Hanover 1 2.86x
Tonbridge 1 3.03x
West Dereham 1 192.31x
Yarmouth 1 136.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 8
Ellen 6
Alice 5
Emma 5
Ann 4
Louisa 4
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Emily 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Lousia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Thirza 2
Alethea 1
Alexina 1
Ana 1
Annie 1
Bacbara 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Deboriah 1
Ella 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Jessey 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 21
Henry 13
William 13
James 9
John 7
Alfred 6
Charles 6
Francis 6
Thomas 5
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Julius 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Edwd.Owen 1
Edwin 1
Emele 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
G. 1
Herbt.Edwd.C. 1
Horase 1
J. 1
Jabez 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Josiah 1
Lockett 1
Lyon 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
W. 1
Will 1

FAQ

Pettet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pettet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Pettet surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pettet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016. That gives Pettet a modern rank of #12,317.

What does the Pettet surname mean?

A Huguenot surname derived from the French diminutive of Pierre (Peter).

What does the Pettet map show?

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