UK surname
An English surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name Peter.
In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Pettey surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 42, ranked #35,336, down from #15,320 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Peter, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pettey is 176 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.5%.
1881 census count
153
Ranked #15,320
Modern count
42
2016, ranked #35,336
Peak year
1861
176 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pettey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pettey surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 119 | #15,247 |
| 1861 | historical | 176 | #13,335 |
| 1881 | historical | 153 | #15,320 |
| 1891 | historical | 127 | #20,496 |
| 1901 | historical | 129 | #19,735 |
| 1911 | historical | 108 | #21,736 |
| 1997 | modern | 58 | #31,831 |
| 1998 | modern | 57 | #32,226 |
| 1999 | modern | 58 | #32,268 |
| 2000 | modern | 58 | #32,317 |
| 2001 | modern | 57 | #32,275 |
| 2002 | modern | 56 | #32,753 |
| 2003 | modern | 59 | #32,530 |
| 2004 | modern | 62 | #32,478 |
| 2005 | modern | 62 | #32,708 |
| 2006 | modern | 59 | #33,330 |
| 2007 | modern | 58 | #33,731 |
| 2008 | modern | 57 | #34,015 |
| 2009 | modern | 58 | #34,144 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 51 | #34,751 |
| 2012 | modern | 42 | #35,269 |
| 2013 | modern | 44 | #35,222 |
| 2014 | modern | 43 | #35,293 |
| 2015 | modern | 43 | #35,269 |
| 2016 | modern | 42 | #35,336 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Peter, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Pancras, Pitney and Ramsgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Peter | Kent |
| 2 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Pitney | Somerset |
| 5 | Ramsgate | Kent |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pettey surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pettey, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Pettey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pettey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Pettey is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pettey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pettey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Pettey originates from England and dates back to the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Pette", which is a diminutive form of the name "Peter". The name initially referred to someone who was the son or descendant of Pette.
In early records, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Pety, Petty, and Pettie. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period. The earliest known record of the name Pettey appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is listed as "Petye".
The Pettey surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Pettey's Farm in Buckinghamshire and Pettey's Lane in Suffolk. These place names likely originated from individuals with the Pettey surname who resided in or owned land in those areas.
One notable historical figure with the surname Pettey was John Pettey, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1580. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his name appears in various legal documents and property records from the early 17th century.
Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Pettey, who lived in the 16th century and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Taunton in Somerset, England. He was a influential figure in local politics and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1588.
In the 18th century, there was a reverend named William Pettey who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Devizes, Wiltshire, from 1732 to 1752. He is mentioned in several parish records and local histories from that time period.
Moving forward to the 19th century, there was a renowned architect named James Pettey who was born in London in 1820. He designed several notable buildings in the city, including the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel and the former British Museum Reading Room.
Finally, one of the most famous individuals with the Pettey surname was the English writer and journalist, George Pettey, who was born in 1865 and died in 1948. He was a prolific author and wrote numerous novels, short stories, and articles for various publications throughout his career.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pettey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 34 Petteys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.86x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 34 | 6.86x |
| Middlesex | 25 | 1.72x |
| Durham | 12 | 2.78x |
| Norfolk | 12 | 5.37x |
| Gloucestershire | 10 | 3.51x |
| Surrey | 10 | 1.41x |
| Yorkshire | 9 | 0.62x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 1.63x |
| Cheshire | 5 | 1.56x |
| Berkshire | 4 | 3.67x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 1.34x |
| Sussex | 4 | 1.63x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 1.09x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 0.79x |
| Somerset | 2 | 0.85x |
| Suffolk | 2 | 1.13x |
| Dorset | 1 | 1.05x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 0.95x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Old Buckenham in Norfolk leads with 12 Petteys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2105.26x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Old Buckenham | 12 | 2105.26x |
| Ramsgate | 10 | 123.61x |
| St Peters | 10 | 436.68x |
| Bristol Temple | 9 | 478.72x |
| Buckland In Dover | 8 | 487.80x |
| Islington London | 8 | 5.68x |
| Lambeth | 8 | 6.31x |
| Rushall | 8 | 276.82x |
| Birkenhead | 5 | 19.55x |
| Hammersmith London | 5 | 13.97x |
| Manningham | 5 | 28.18x |
| Monkwearmouth | 5 | 120.77x |
| St Giles | 5 | 185.19x |
| Abingdon St Helen | 4 | 125.39x |
| Ash Next Sandwich | 4 | 363.64x |
| St Pancras London | 4 | 3.42x |
| Brighton | 3 | 6.07x |
| Nuneaton | 3 | 70.59x |
| Bromley London | 2 | 6.25x |
| Doncaster | 2 | 19.01x |
| Dover St Mary Virgin | 2 | 41.67x |
| Newington | 2 | 3.73x |
| Pentyrch | 2 | 190.48x |
| Portsmouth | 2 | 29.15x |
| Willesden | 2 | 14.60x |
| Willington | 2 | 80.00x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 1.58x |
| Chilvers Coton | 1 | 66.23x |
| Christchurch | 1 | 30.77x |
| Fylingdales | 1 | 138.89x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.23x |
| Hampreston | 1 | 144.93x |
| High Ham | 1 | 178.57x |
| Huish Episcopi | 1 | 303.03x |
| Icklesham | 1 | 232.56x |
| Kirkley | 1 | 67.57x |
| Menston | 1 | 303.03x |
| Monks Eleigh | 1 | 344.83x |
| Romsey Extra | 1 | 56.50x |
| Sopley | 1 | 243.90x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 1.29x |
| Westbury On Trym | 1 | 10.35x |
| Westminster St | 1 | 18.66x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pettey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 10 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Emily | 6 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Emma | 4 |
| Lucy | 3 |
| Martha | 3 |
| Sarah | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Allen | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| C.Violet | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Cicely | 1 |
| Dorothy | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizab. | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Florance | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| George | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Herbert | 1 |
| Hilda | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Josephine | 1 |
| Kathleen | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lily | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Rhoda | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Pettey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Pettey households.
FAQ
In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Pettey surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 42 in 2016. That gives Pettey a modern rank of #35,336.
An English surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name Peter.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pettey bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.