Petty History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


The ancestors of the Petty family lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Petty was a name given to a small person. The surname Petty originally derived from the Old French word Petit which referred to small or tiny. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Petty family

The surname Petty was first found in Warwickshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times as Lords of the Manor of Ilmington conjecturally descended from the land holder recorded in the Domesday Book survey taken in 1086 A.D., as being held by Alric the pre-conquest holder from Robert of Stafford.

Early History of the Petty family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Petty research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1296, 1382, 1395, 1548, 1566, 1567, 1583, 1589, 1621, 1623, 1628, 1629, 1639, 1660, 1661 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Petty History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Petty Spelling Variations

Petty has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Petty have been found, including Pettey, Petty, Pettie, Pety, Petie and others.

Early Notables of the Petty family

Notables of the family at this time include

Petty Ranking

In the United States, the name Petty is the 814th most popular surname with an estimated 37,305 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Petty family to Ireland

Some of the Petty family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Petty migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Pettys to arrive on North American shores:

Petty Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Petty Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Petty Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Petty migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Petty Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Petty Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Petty migration to Australia +

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

Petty Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Petty Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Petty 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:

Petty Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Petty migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 12
Petty Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Petty (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Petty +
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