Pettijohn Surname History

Origins Available:
England
France

Etymology of Pettijohn

What does the name Pettijohn mean?

The name Pettijohn was derived from the Old French word "petit," meaning "small" and the personal name "John." Originally in the form "Petite John", it denoted "John, the Younger," or "John's son." 1

Early Origins of the Pettijohn family

The surname Pettijohn was first found in Sussex where John Petijohan was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Records in Chelmsford, Essex show John Petyjohn recorded there in 1386. John Petyteny was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327. 1

Early History of the Pettijohn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pettijohn research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1386, 1443, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Pettijohn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pettijohn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pettijohn, Petijohn, Pettyjohn, Petyjohn, Pettejohn and many more.

Early Notables of the Pettijohn family

More information is included under the topic Early Pettijohn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pettijohn family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Contemporary Notables of the name Pettijohn (post 1700) +

David Pettijohn, American Primetime Emmy Award winning sound editor, known for his work on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Romancing the Stone (1984) and Day of the Dead (1985)
Sonny Pettijohn, American assistant editor, known for The Green Mile (1999), Back to the Future (1985) and Mystic River (2003)
LaDonna Pettijohn (b. 1973), American actress, known for Scalene (2011), Wings for Maggie Ray (2012) and Witches of East End (2013)
Maynard C. "Duke" Pettijohn (b. 1977), American Arena football defensive lineman
Francis John Pettijohn (1904-1999), American geologist on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, awarded the Penrose Medal from the Geological Society of America in 1975

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)