| ![Show Contents]() Petitpas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Petitpas was first found in Britina. It was a name for a person who never tired of walking or a soldier who had lost his foot in battle. The name Petitpas is an Anglicized form of the Old French word pedefer, or pied de fer, which means iron foot. 1 2 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the "Old French, petite and fere, 'the little wild beast.'" 3 Early Origins of the Petitpas familyThe surname Petitpas was first found in the 11th century when the Latin name Herbertus Pedesferri was recorded according to the source Old English Bynames. The Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire recorded John Pedefer as holding lands there in 1190. A few years later, John Piedefer was listed in the same rolls for the same county in 1198, but no mention if this was the same person. William Pedifer was found in the Assize Rolls for Warwickshire in 1221 and William Petifer was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. Richard Pitifer and William Pidefyr were both listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1332 and later in Huntingdonshire, we found William Putifer in 1382. Again in Huntingdonshire, William Petefer was listed in 1392. The name was common and sometimes used as a nickname alone: Piedefer 1186, Pipe Rolls for Worcestershire, Pie de Fer 1185, Pipe Rolls for Norfolk. 1 Patrick Pedefere during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377) was a Freeman of York. Robertus Pedefer was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. William Petifer (Petefer, Petipher or Petyfre) of 1548 was registered at the University of Oxford. Robert Pettifer was listed as the Sheriff of Gloucester in the year 1603. 4 "Pettipher is an ancient Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire name, and further allusion to it will be found under those counties in reference to Puddephatt, which is probably a corruption of it. There was a Bampton family of Pettifer last century. The name of Pettipher occurred amongst the labouring classes of Culworth, Northamptonshire, a century ago (B.). The Rev. John Pettyfer, or Pettifer, was vicar of Blakesley, Northamptonshire, early last century. Cussans, in his "Hertfordshire" suggests that in that county the name of Pedefer (Pied - de - Eer?), which occurred in Ippolitts, Herts, in the reign of Edward III., was the original of Puddephatt, a Bucks as well as a Herts name. This is probable, hut at any rate his suggestion is still more applicable to the origin of Pettipher. Pettypher: Peytever or Pettypher, the name of mayors of Wycombe in the 16th and. 17th centuries." 5 Early History of the Petitpas familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Petitpas research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1633, 1651, 1665, 1668, 1696, 1703, 1717, 1718, 1760 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Petitpas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Petitpas Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Petitpas are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Petitpas include Pettifer, Pettipher, Petipher, Petifer, Petiver and many more. Early Notables of the Petitpas familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was James Petiver (c.1665-1718), an English botanist and entomologist, son of James and Mary Petiver, born at Hillmorton, near Rugby, Warwickshire. He later became a London apothecary and Fellow of the Royal Society. He corresponded with naturalists in all parts of the world, and...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Petitpas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Petitpas RankingIn France, the name Petitpas is the 5,343rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6
 Petitpas migration to the United States | + |
Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Petitpas, or a variant listed above:
Petitpas Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Helene Petitpas, aged 22, who arrived in America from Paris, France, in 1913
- Jules Victor Petitpas, aged 46, who arrived in America from Bordeaux, France, in 1917
- Louis Petitpas, aged 23, who arrived in America from Cherbourg, France, in 1918
- Valmer Petitpas, aged 19, who arrived in America, in 1921
| Contemporary Notables of the name Petitpas (post 1700) | + |
- Georges Petitpas (1931-1983), American expert in human resource management, eponym of The Georges Petitpas Memorial Award
- Stephen Petitpas (b. 1957), Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Big" Stephen Petitpas
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
|
Petitpas migration to the United States 
