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Petters Family History

Petters Name Meaning

North German: patronymic from the personal name Petter .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Peters, Peeters, Pieters, Etters, Petter, Pettersen, Peers, Esters

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 Petters family from?

You can see how Petters families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petters family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petters families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 3 Petters families living in Alabama. This was about 16% of all the recorded Petters's in USA. Alabama and 3 other states had the highest population of Petters families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petters surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Petters ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Petters. 28% of Petters men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Petters women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petters were Mechanic and Seamstress. .

View Census Data for Petters | 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

  • Laborer
    28%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Farm Laborer
    5%
  • Mechanic
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    20%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
  • Seamstress
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Petters family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Petters. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petters census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Petters

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Petters. 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 Petters immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Petters. For the veterans among your Petters ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Petters military records

You've only scratched the surface of Petters family history

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What is the average Petters lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Petters life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1990, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Petters in 1963 was 75, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petters

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Petters family tree

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