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Petney Family History

Petney Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Putney, Pitney, Penney, Pettey, Petrey, Peter, Penny, Penner, Cerney

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Petney family from?

You can see how Petney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petney family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1840 and 1920. The most Petney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Petney family living in Missouri. This was about 33% of all the recorded Petney's in USA. Missouri and 2 other states had the highest population of Petney families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Petney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Miner was the top reported job for people in the USA named Petney. 100% of Petney men worked as a Miner. .

View Census Data for Petney | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Miner
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Petney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 360 census records available for the last name Petney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Petney

Passenger Lists

There are 37 immigration records available for the last name Petney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Petney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 39 military records available for the last name Petney. For the veterans among your Petney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petney family history

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What is the average Petney lifespan?

Between 1966 and 2000, in the United States, Petney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1966, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Petney in 1966 was 52, and 83 in 2000.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petney

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Petney family tree

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