Show ContentsPeters History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Peters Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Peters

What does the name Peters mean?

The earliest origins of the Peters surname lie with the name of an ancestor. The name is derived from the personal name Peter. This is derived from the Latin name Petrus, which in turn comes from the Greek name Petros. The word "petros" means "rock" or "stone." Peter was an extremely popular personal name in medieval Europe since it was the name conferred by Christ upon the apostle Simon bar Jonah. He became St. Peter and is regarded as the founding figure of the Christian Church.

Early Origins of the Peters family

The surname Peters was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Peters family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peters research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1549, 1572, 1598, 1603, 1613, 1626, 1631, 1633, 1660, 1684, 1688, 1689, 1699, 1706 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Peters History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peters 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 Peters, Peter, Petre, Petry and others.

Early Notables of the Peters family

  • Hugh Peters (or Peter) (1598-1660), an English preacher in Essex

Peters World Ranking

the United States, the name Peters is the 197th most popular surname with an estimated 129,324 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Peters is ranked the 100th most popular surname with an estimated 27,705 people with that name. 2 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Peters is the 708th popular surname with an estimated 61 people with that name. 3 France ranks Peters as 6,088th with 1,000 - 1,500 people. 4 Australia ranks Peters as 174th with 17,954 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Peters as 172nd with 3,101 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Peters as 323rd with 19,145 people. 7 Netherlands ranks Peters as 15th with 33,006 people. 8 South Africa ranks Peters as 457th with 15,524 people. 9

Peters migration to the United States +

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

Peters Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Miss Anne Pettit Peters who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 11
  • Edmond Peters, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 12
  • Andrew Peters, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 12
  • Augustine Peters, who arrived in Maryland in 1668 12
  • Ann Peters, who landed in Maryland in 1679 12
Peters Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frans Henrig Peters, who landed in New York in 1709 12
  • Charles Peters, who arrived in Virginia in 1718 12
  • David Peters, who settled in Georgia with his wife Eleanor and four children in 1733
  • Arnold Peters, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 12
Peters Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Christjan Heinrich Peters, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 12
  • Benjamin L Peters, aged 22, who arrived in New York in 1812 12
  • Ernst Heinr Peters, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1836 12
  • Cath Elis Peters, who landed in America in 1840 12
  • Anton Jos Peters, who landed in America in 1843 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Peters Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Peters, (b. 1843), aged 59, Cornish farmer, from Gunnislake, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 30th January 1902 en route to Duluth, Minnesota, USA 13
  • Mr. Walter Peters, (b. 1853), aged 50, Cornish blacksmith travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 12th September 1903 en route to Los Angeles, California, USA 13
  • Mr. William Peters, (b. 1865), aged 38, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 31st May 1903 en route to Leadville, Colorado, USA 13
  • Mr. William Peters, (b. 1885), aged 20, Cornish miner, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 9th July 1905 en route to Painesdale, Michigan, USA 13
  • Mr. Samuel Peters, (b. 1865), aged 40, American quarryman returning from Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to East Bangor, Pennsylvania, USA 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peters migration to Canada +

Peters Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Peters U.E. (b. 1712) who arrived in New Brunswick c. 1783 was transported aboard the ship "Mercury" married with 1 child, he died in 1788 14
  • Mr. Thomas Peters U.E. (b. 1749) from Dutchess County, New York, USA who settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick c. 1784 married to Susannah having 6 children, he died in 1813 14
  • Mr. Andrew Peters U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Cape Ann Association 14
  • Mr. William Peters U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1835 in Woodstock, New Brunswick 14
  • Mr. William Peters U.E. who settled in Kings County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1805 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Peters Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Philip Peters, aged 1 year & 6 months who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Araminta" departing from the port of Araminta, Liverpool but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 15
  • Franz Peters, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Agatha Peters, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Claus Peters, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
  • Aaron Peters, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peters migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Mr. James Peters, British settler convicted at Gloucestershire, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 10
  • Mr. Thomas Peters, British settler convicted at Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 11
Second Fleet
Following the First and Second Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Peters Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Peters, British convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. George Peters, (Pearcey), British convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Mr. Thomas Peters, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 18
  • Robert Peters, a chair-maker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • Mr. William Peters, (b. 1801), aged 27, English farm servant who was convicted in Hounslow, London, England for 14 years for desertion from the army, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1836 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peters 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:

Peters Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Peters, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • Harriet Peters, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • Martha Peters, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • Hannah Peters, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
  • Mr. George Peters, (b. 1837), aged 21, British collar maker travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indiana" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 28th November 1858 20
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Peters (post 1700) +

  • Jane Alice Peters (1908-1942), birth name of Carole Lombard, American actress and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Richard Devin "Ricky" Peters (1955-2025), American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Detroit Tigers (1979-1981) and Oakland Athletics (1983, 1986)
  • Douglas J. J. Peters (1963-2023), American politician, Majority Leader of the Maryland Senate (2016-2019)
  • Eric Lingfeng Peters (b. 1997), Canadian recurve archer. He won gold at the 2019 Pan American Games, he won silver medal in 2023 World Archery Championships
  • Julie Anne Peters (1952-2023), American author of young adult fiction who published 20 works, mostly novels, geared toward children and adolescents
  • Gary Charles Peters (1937-2023), American Major League Baseball pitcher from Grove City, Pennsylvania who played on two major league teams for 14 seasons, from 1959 through 1972
  • Marybeth Peters (1939-2022), American attorney, 11th United States Register of Copyrights (1994-2010)
  • Carol Ann Peters Duncan (1932-2022), American gold and two-time bronze medalist figure skater who competed in ice dancing
  • Fred Peters (1923-2018), American animator and comics artist from Oklahoma, known for his work with Disney on numerous Pluto cartoons
  • ... (Another 40 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bismarck
  • Walter Peters (1919-1941), German Maschinenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 21
  • Otto Peters (b. 1919), German Maschinenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck (1941) during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he survived the sinking 22
  • Mr. Maxwell Wesley Peters (1920-1941), Australian Telegraphist from Mallala, South Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 22
  • Mr. Henry Peters, British Electrical, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 23
  • Mr. Alfred Peters, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 24
  • ... (Another 12 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Peters 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: Sans Dieu rien
Motto Translation: Without God, nothing.

Suggested Readings for the name Peters +

  • Genealogical Chronology of John Peter Snyder, 1729-1807, and his Wife Mary Catharine Elizabeth (Stentz) Snyder, 1739-1782 and their Descendants by Howard W. Stentz.
  • Some Ancestors and Descendants of John Frederick Peters and his Wife Mary Louise Moses of Hoosick Falls, new York by Dorothy Rudd DuMond.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  10. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  11. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  12. 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)
  13. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  14. 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
  15. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 51)
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
  18. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  20. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  21. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  22. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  23. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  24. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html

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