Explore the Family Name Petitjean

The meaning of Petitjean

French: from a compound of Old French petit ‘small’ + the personal name Jean (see John), hence a nickname for a small man called Jean (or an ironic nickname for a large man), or a distinguishing epithet for the younger of two bearers of the same name. Compare Petty john. Some characteristic forenames: French Emile, Etienne, Jean-Pierre, Luc.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Petitjean in the United States?

The Petitjean surname has seen a rise in popularity based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, Petitjean was ranked 42,757th in popularity but by 2010, it had climbed to 39,887th, marking a 6.71% increase. Furthermore, the count of individuals with this surname also witnessed growth from 477 in 2000 to 550 in 2010, an uptick of 15.3%. The proportion of people named Petitjean per 100,000 population also rose by 5.56%.

20002010Change
Rank#42,757#39,8876.71%
Count47755015.3%
Proportion per 100k0.180.195.56%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Petitjean

As for the ethnic identity associated with the Petitjean surname, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, significant changes were noted between 2000 and 2010. While the percentage of those identifying as White dropped slightly from 91.19% to 86.18%, a notable increase was observed in the Black community—from 5.03% to 7.09%. The Hispanic community also reported a presence with the Petitjean surname in 2010, after having none in the year 2000. Meanwhile, those identifying as belonging to two or more races dropped from 2.10% to 1.82%. There were no individuals with this surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.

20002010Change
White91.19%86.18%-5.49%
Black5.03%7.09%40.95%
Hispanic0%3.64%0%
Two or More Races2.1%1.82%-13.33%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%