Petit Family History

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Petit Name Meaning

French, Catalan, and English (mainly Leicestershire): from Old French or Catalan petit ‘small’, hence a nickname for a small person (or an ironic nickname for a big man), or for the younger of two bearers of the same personal name. This name was common among Catalan Jews. It is also established in Ireland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Petito, Pett, Petre, Polit, Peris, Lett, Petty, Betit, Nett, Petite

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Petit Family Origin

Where is the Petit family from?

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1840
    1920
    You can see how Petit families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Petit family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Petit families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 26 Petit families living in New York. This was about 25% of all the recorded Petit's in the USA. New York had the highest population of Petit families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Petit surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Petit

    Petit Family Occupations

    What did your Petit ancestors do for a living?

    In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Petit. 18% of Petit men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Petit women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Petit were Truck Driver and Housekeeper

    View Census data for Petit | Data not to scale

    Top Male Occupations in 1940

    • Laborer
      18%
    • Farmer
      12%
    • Salesman
      7%
    • Truck Driver
      5%

    Top Female Occupations in 1940

    • Housewife
      8%
    • Teacher
      7%
    • Maid
      7%
    • Housekeeper
      6%

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

    Petit Historical Records

    What Petit family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 48,000 census records available for the last name Petit. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Petit census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search US census records for Petit

    Passenger List

    There are 9,000 immigration records available for the last name Petit. 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 Petit immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Petit. For the veterans among your Petit ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Petit military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Petit family history.

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    Petit Life Expectancy

    What is the average Petit lifespan?

    Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Petit life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Petit in 1944 was 28, and 74 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Petit

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Petit ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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