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Petit Family History

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

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 Petit family from?

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 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 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.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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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 USA 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

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

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Maid
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Petit family records will you find?

Census Records

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 Lists

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 Cards

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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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

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