Explore the Family Name Petrov

The meaning of Petrov

Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian, and Slovak (eastern Slovakia): patronymic from the personal names Pyotr (Russian), Petr (Bulgarian), Petar (Macedonian, Serbian, and Croatian), or Peter (Slovak). In some cases it may also be an American shortened form of patronymics and derivatives like Croatian and Serbian Petrović, Slovenian and Slovak Petrovič (see Petrovic). Compare Petroff and Petrow. Some characteristic forenames: Russian Oleg, Sergey, Andrei, Sergei, Dmitri, Konstantin, Mikhail, Valeri, Alexey, Anatolij. Serbian or Croatian Milorad. Bulgarian or Macedonian Dimitar, Mitko, Vasko.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Petrov has significantly increased in the United States from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Petrov was ranked as the 19806th most popular surname, with a count of 1257 bearers. By 2010, it had risen to the 14113th rank, representing an increase of 28.74%. The total number of people bearing the surname also rose to 2129 during this period, marking a substantial growth rate of 69.37%. Consequently, the proportion per 100k people also jumped from 0.47 to 0.72, reflecting a positive change of 53.19%.

20002010Change
Rank#19,806#14,11328.74%
Count1,2572,12969.37%
Proportion per 100k0.470.7253.19%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Petrov

When it comes to the ethnicity associated with the surname Petrov, we see shifts as based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White (93.16%), followed by those reporting two or more races(5.49%). A small percentage identified as Hispanic (1.11%), while no individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native. However, by 2010, the proportion of Whites had grown slightly to 95.63%, and the percentage of Hispanics had more than doubled to 2.44%. At the same time, the proportion of individuals reporting two or more races saw a significant decline to 1.03%. Additionally, small percentages of individuals started identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (0.52%) and Black (0.38%), while none reported as American Indian and Alaskan Native.

20002010Change
White93.16%95.63%2.65%
Hispanic1.11%2.44%119.82%
Two or More Races5.49%1.03%-81.24%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0.52%0%
Black0%0.38%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%

Petrov ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Petrov is Eastern European, which comprises 48.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Greek & Balkan (33.3%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (5.6%). Additional ancestries include British & Irish, French & German, Italian, Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian, and Finnish.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Eastern European48.2%
Greek & Balkan33.3%
Ashkenazi Jewish5.6%
Other12.9%
Petrov

Possible origins of the surname Petrov

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Petrov have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Russia, and Ukraine.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation47.40%
Lviv Oblast, Ukraine37.20%
Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine35.80%
Sofia City Province, Bulgaria35.00%
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russian Federation34.30%

What Petrov haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Petrov is E-V13, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-V13 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS3402 and I-CTS5966, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ivanov, Popov, Szabo, Nagy, Kozak, Schultz, Kovacs, Toth, Urban, Kowalski.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Petrov surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

petrovPaternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to early Balkan migrants

Haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a migrated in large numbers from the Balkans into Europe about 4,500 years ago, triggered by the beginning of the Balkan Bronze Age. During this migration, members of haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a mainly followed rivers connecting the southern Balkans to northern-central Europe. Technological leaps often cause lineages to grow dramatically in numbers and in geographic range. The development of Bronze technology may have given men in haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a a competitive advantage over other men, causing haplogroup E1b1b1a1b1a to proliferate and become widespread.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Petrov have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Petrov

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Petrov" Surname 51.6%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Petrov

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Petrov" Surname 42.9%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Petrov

Vitamin Use

Takes vitamins on a regular basis.

"Petrov" Surname 24.0%

23andMe Users 45.5%

Wellness

Petrov

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Petrov" Surname 8.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Petrov?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Petrov are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Eastern European 60.6%

23andMe Users 57.2%