Explore the Family Name Pettifer
The meaning of Pettifer
English (of Norman origin): nickname from Old French pedefer, pied de fer ‘iron foot’. It was traditionally explained in French as a nickname for a good infantryman (‘bon marcheur’). It may also have referred to an old soldier who had lost a foot.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pettifer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Pettifer has slightly decreased over the decade from 2000 to 2010. The rank of the surname dropped by approximately 3.95%, moving from 127,186 in 2000 to 132,206 in 2010. However, the actual count of individuals carrying the surname increased by 3.23% during the same period, with numbers rising from 124 to 128. This contrast indicates that while more people bore the name, it became relatively less common compared to other surnames. The proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people also declined by 20.0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #127,186 | #132,206 | -3.95% |
| Count | 124 | 128 | 3.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pettifer
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pettifer is predominantly White according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, about 99.00% of the individuals with this surname identified as White, but this figure dropped slightly to 97.66% in 2010. No significant representation of other ethnicities such as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native was noted in either census year. There was also no notable change in the proportions of these ethnic groups from 2000 to 2010, with most remaining at 0.00%. Similarly, no one bearing the surname identified as being of two or more races in either of the years surveyed.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 99% | 97.66% | -1.35% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |