NameCensus.

UK surname

Petts

An English surname likely derived from the French word "petit" meaning small or little.

In the 1881 census there were 762 people recorded with the Petts surname, ranking it #4,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,045, ranked #5,584, down from #4,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, London parishes and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shepway, Blaenau Gwent and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Petts is 1,292 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.1%.

1881 census count

762

Ranked #4,843

Modern count

1,045

2016, ranked #5,584

Peak year

1911

1,292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Petts had 762 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,045 in 2016, ranked #5,584.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,292 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Petts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Petts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Petts 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 646 #4,019
1861 historical 636 #4,214
1881 historical 762 #4,843
1891 historical 972 #4,257
1901 historical 1,089 #4,437
1911 historical 1,292 #3,687
1997 modern 1,189 #4,743
1998 modern 1,242 #4,740
1999 modern 1,215 #4,875
2000 modern 1,184 #4,963
2001 modern 1,132 #5,057
2002 modern 1,146 #5,104
2003 modern 1,119 #5,108
2004 modern 1,076 #5,289
2005 modern 1,047 #5,347
2006 modern 1,048 #5,357
2007 modern 1,069 #5,304
2008 modern 1,073 #5,318
2009 modern 1,107 #5,301
2010 modern 1,121 #5,350
2011 modern 1,127 #5,262
2012 modern 1,075 #5,391
2013 modern 1,095 #5,393
2014 modern 1,094 #5,420
2015 modern 1,071 #5,471
2016 modern 1,045 #5,584

Geography

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Where Petts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and Newport Pagnell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shepway, Blaenau Gwent and Wakefield. 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 Minster Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Newport Pagnell Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shepway 004 Shepway
2 Blaenau Gwent 001 Blaenau Gwent
3 Wakefield 029 Wakefield
4 Shepway 005 Shepway
5 Shepway 003 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Petts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Petts

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

London Fringe

Within London, Petts is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Petts is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Petts

The surname PETTS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pet", meaning a spoiled or indulged child. It was originally a nickname given to a child who was particularly indulged or spoiled by their parents.

The name first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded examples being Robert le Pette, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This suggests that the surname was already in use and established by this time.

During the Middle Ages, the PETTS surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire in southern England. It is also found in various early records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1327, which lists a John Pette.

In the 16th century, the surname began to appear with the modern spelling of "PETTS", as evidenced by records from this period. One notable example is William PETTS, a renowned shipbuilder who was appointed as the Master Shipwright to the English navy under King James I in 1604.

Over the centuries, the PETTS surname has been associated with several notable individuals. Sir Pett Diamond (1635-1688) was an English businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1687. John PETTS (1701-1754) was an English painter known for his portraits and landscapes.

Another prominent figure was Samuel PETTS (1724-1789), an English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. In more recent times, Roger PETTS (1932-2019) was a respected English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

While the PETTS surname originated as a nickname, it eventually became a hereditary surname passed down through families, particularly in the southern counties of England. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, such as Pett, Pet, and Pettis, but PETTS remained the most common form.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Petts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Petts 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 242 Petts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.52x.

County Total Index
Kent 242 9.52x
Middlesex 116 1.56x
Yorkshire 73 0.99x
Hertfordshire 68 13.24x
Norfolk 42 3.67x
Surrey 38 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 33 7.32x
Derbyshire 31 2.66x
Essex 27 1.84x
Lancashire 20 0.23x
Warwickshire 13 0.69x
Sussex 9 0.72x
Dorset 8 1.64x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.80x
Suffolk 8 0.88x
Hampshire 5 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 5 2.11x
Staffordshire 5 0.20x
Northamptonshire 4 0.57x
Leicestershire 3 0.36x
Channel Islands 1 0.45x
Devon 1 0.06x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horbury in Yorkshire leads with 30 Petts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 232.20x.

Place Total Index
Horbury 30 232.20x
Folkestone 26 52.72x
Bow London 22 23.19x
Margate St John Baptist 22 47.25x
Newport Pagnell 21 222.93x
Bromley London 19 11.59x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 55.23x
Minster In Thanet 19 359.17x
Bowling 17 23.24x
St Lawrence 17 97.25x
Faversham 15 61.86x
Great Hadham 14 422.96x
Horton In Bradford 14 12.14x
Standon 14 264.65x
Aston 13 2.51x
Canterbury St Dunstan 13 296.13x
Crich 12 157.48x
Deptford St Paul 12 6.12x
Sherington 12 779.22x
Dartford 10 38.46x
Hertford St Andrew 10 157.73x
Hopton 10 3225.81x
Leyton Low 10 33.44x
Mile End Old Town 10 8.50x
Rochester St Margaret 10 37.30x
Brancaster 9 459.18x
Limehouse London 9 11.00x
Selsey 9 389.61x
Battersea 8 2.92x
Chislet 8 278.75x
Islington London 8 1.11x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.08x
Rotherhithe 8 8.69x
Chignal Smealy 7 1346.15x
Fulham London 7 6.48x
Hitchin 7 30.19x
Minster In Sheppey 7 16.62x
Tottenham 7 5.90x
Ware 7 47.55x
Alderwasley 6 612.24x
Diss 6 61.10x
Gillingham 6 11.44x
Newington 6 2.18x
Stretford 6 12.33x
Canterbury Holy Cross 5 204.08x
Corton 5 347.22x
Dale 5 588.24x
Leeds 5 1.20x
Maidstone 5 6.60x
Portsea 5 1.67x
St Pancras London 5 0.83x
St Peters 5 42.52x
Walmer 5 45.25x
Welwyn 5 112.36x
Ash Next Sandwich 4 71.05x
Buckland In Dover 4 47.45x
Crayford 4 36.04x
Hackney London 4 0.96x
Hougham 4 26.46x
Hulme 4 2.17x
Matching 4 261.44x
Milton In Gravesend 4 10.49x
Northampton St Peter 4 93.90x
Paddington London 4 1.46x
Penge 4 8.40x
Poplar London 4 2.84x
Shorne 4 177.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.50x
Thornham 4 239.52x
Wandsworth 4 5.58x
Ardwick 3 3.76x
Aylesford 3 42.55x
Canterbury St Andrew 3 280.37x
Canterbury St Paul 3 65.79x
Fordington 3 28.46x
Hamworthy 3 176.47x
Kensington London 3 0.72x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.49x
Ramsgate 3 7.23x
Westminster St James 3 3.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 28
Eliza 23
Sarah 23
Ellen 18
Jane 16
Emma 14
Hannah 11
Alice 10
Ann 10
Emily 9
Annie 8
Florence 7
Ada 6
Harriet 6
Harriett 6
Margaret 6
Martha 6
Matilda 6
Fanny 5
Rose 5
Amelia 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Jessie 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Edith 3
Henrietta 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Lilian 2
Lizzie 2
Lydia 2
Minnie 2
Phillis 2
Sophia 2
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Emila 1
Esther 1
Jeanette 1
Joanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
George 32
Thomas 31
John 30
James 28
Henry 18
Alfred 17
Arthur 14
Charles 14
Frederick 13
Joseph 12
Edward 11
Walter 11
Ernest 7
Harry 6
Albert 5
Herbert 5
Samuel 5
Frank 4
Wm. 4
Abel 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Allden 2
Eli 2
Frederic 2
Golder 2
Hoy 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Abraham 1
Benjamine 1
Charle 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ellery 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Jno.Alfd. 1
Jno.James 1
Laurence 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Petts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Petts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 762 people were recorded with the Petts surname. That placed it at #4,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Petts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,045 in 2016. That gives Petts a modern rank of #5,584.

What does the Petts surname mean?

An English surname likely derived from the French word "petit" meaning small or little.

What does the Petts map show?

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