Contents [hide]

Petrie History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Petrie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The distinguished surname Petrie emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. One of the most common classes of surname is the patronymic surname, which was usually derived from the first name of the person's father. Flemish surnames of this type are often characterized by the diminutive suffix -kin, which became very frequent in England during the 14th century. The surname Petrie is derived from the personal names Peter and Patrick. These two names were frequently confused in Scotland since the Gaelic forms of Patrick were Pádair and Pátair. 1 The Flemish Petrie family is believed to be descended from a family named Peters who migrated from Antwerp in Belgium to Cornwall during the 12th century. From there, the family moved to Kincardine, Aberdeen, and Caithness in Scotland.

Early Origins of the Petrie family

The surname Petrie was first found in Aberdeen, where Charles Patre was recorded in the Balwelow Records for 1513. Later, Mr. Andrew Petre was vicar of Wick, Caithness in 1530, and David Petiye was charter witness in Tannadyce in 1603. 1

Early History of the Petrie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Petrie research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1452, 1503, 1512, 1517, 1530, 1594, 1612, 1619, 1620, 1643, 1662, 1667, 1688, 1703, 1707, 1714, 1790, 1798, 1822, 1831, 1837, 1844, 1847, 1853, 1864, 1866, 1872, 1892, 1901, 1902, 1910 and 1920 are included under the topic Early Petrie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Petrie Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Petrie, Petree, Petre and others.

Early Notables of the Petrie family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Alexander Petrie (c. 1594-1662), Scottish divine, third son of Alexander Petrie, merchant and burgess of Montrose. He was the minister of Rhynd in Perthshire
Andrew Petrie (1798-1872), born in Fife, Scotland, was a pioneer, architect and builder in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He and his wife and their four sons to landed in Sydney in 1831 with other S...
Archibald Petrie (1790-1864) was a soldier and politician in Cumberland Township, Ontario. He represented Russell County in the 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1847 and was capta...
George Petrie (1790-1866), was an Irish antiquarian, archaeologist and artist, born in Dublin
Sir Charles Petrie, 1st Baronet DL (1853-1920) born near Newburgh, Fife, was a Scottish businessman and local politician, Lord Mayor of Liverpool in 1901-1902

Petrie Ranking

In the United States, the name Petrie is the 4,191^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2 However, in New Zealand, the name Petrie is ranked the 848^th most popular surname with an estimated 862 people with that name. 3

Petrie migration to the United States +

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Petrie:

Petrie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Coenraet Petrie, who arrived in New York in 1715 4
Peter Petrie, aged 10, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1774 4
John Petrie, who settled in Tobago in 1775
Peter Petrie, who settled in Georgia in 1775

Petrie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Petrie, who arrived in America in 1820 4
William W Petrie, who landed in New York, NY in 1836 4
George Petrie, who arrived in New York in 1837 4
James Petrie, who landed in New York, NY in 1845 4

Petrie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Petrie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Johan Jost Petrie Sr., U.E., (John Joseph, John Jost, Hanjost, Hansjost, Hanjoist, Hancust, Petry, Petrey, Peetire) from Tyron County, New York, USA who settled in Saltfleet Township [Stoney Creek], Ontario c. 1784 he enlisted in 1777 serving in the Indian Department, he later joined Butler's Rangers and Captain William Caldwell's Company, married twice having 5 children he died in 1804 5
Private. Joseph Petrie Jr., U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1786 he served in Butler's Rangers, married to Elizabeth Wintermute 5

Petrie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Joseph Petrie, who landed in Canada in 1832

Petrie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Petrie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Petrie, a sawyer, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
Andrew Petrie, who arrived in Brisbane Town in 1837 as a government appointee
Miss Mary Petrie, (Gordon) who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Mr. Donald Petrie, (b. 1827), aged 39, British Convict who was convicted in Stirling, Scotland for 7 years for fraud, transported aboard the "Corona" on 13th October 1866, arriving in Western Australia, Australia, he died in 1910 7

Petrie migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Petrie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. David Petrie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 8
Mr. J. Petrie, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 9
Mr. W. Petrie, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 9
Mrs. Petrie, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 9
Child Petrie, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Petrie (post 1700) +

George Petrie (1793-1879), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York
Donald Mark Petrie (b. 1954), American Primetime Emmy nominated actor and film director 10
George O Petrie (1912-1997), American actor
Henry W Petrie (1857-1925), American composer and performer of popular music
Henry Petrie (1768-1842), English antiquary, son of a dancing-master who resided at Stockwell, Surrey
Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie FRS (1853-1942), English archaeologist and noted Egyptologist
Sir Charles Petrie (1895-1977), Irish (English born) popular historian
Graham Petrie (1939-2023), Scottish-Canadian academic and writer, Literature and Film Studies professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario
Sir Peter Charles Petrie CMG (1932-2021), 5th Baronet, a British diplomat, son of the historian Sir Charles Petrie
Martin Petrie (1823-1892), British Army officer from Manor House, King's Langley, Hertfordshire, second son of Commissary-general William Petrie (d. 1842), who had seen active service in Egypt, Italy, and France
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Petrie family +

Hillcrest Coal Mine

Mr. Robert Petrie (1888-1914), Scottish Miner from Durham, England, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 11
Mr. James Petrie (1886-1914), Scottish Bratticeman from Durham, England, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 11
Mr. Alexander Petrie (1897-1914), Scottish Bratticeman from Lochgelly, Scotland, United Kingdom who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse 11

HMS Dorsetshire

Robert Christopher Petrie (d. 1945), British Stoker Petty Officer aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 12

North Sea Flood

Alex Petrie, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

SS Caribou

Mr. J. Petrie, British passenger who was Royal Navy was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he survived the sinking

The Petrie Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide sed vide
Motto Translation: Trust but take care.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/corona
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Donald Petrie. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Donald Petrie. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Petrie
List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html