Petry surname: meaning, census count and records | FamilyCrests

The Petry surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,538 people carried this name — #6,178 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 53,200 people counted. That is up 4% from 5,300 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Petry surname

English surname, first attested as Medieval Latin Petrus (“Peter”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Petry» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 662 people named Petry.

57 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 51 départements, most often Moselle.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born

Born outside France 57
Moselle 283
Bas-Rhin 50
Paris 44
Meurthe-et-Moselle 24
Ardennes 20
Bouches-du-Rhône 15
Ille-et-Vilaine 12
Marne 12

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 317 people named Petry live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 124
Misiones 92
Santa Fe 35
Córdoba 19
Neuquén 17
Mendoza 16
City of Buenos Aires 14

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Belgium’s population register

At least 177 people named Petry live in Belgium.

Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Liège.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Liège 98
Limburg 44
Hainaut 12
Namur 10
Luxembourg Province 8
Antwerp 5

Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

54 people named Petry live in Switzerland.

They live in 8 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 14
Vaud 11
Basel-Stadt 7
Geneva 7
Schwyz 5
Aargau 4
Basel-Landschaft 3
Lucerne 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In Poland’s population register

27 people named Petry have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 52 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 3 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Subcarpathian.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Subcarpathian 15
Pomeranian 9
Greater Poland 3

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In print

Petry in American newspapers,
1912–1922.

Newspaper page from The Caledonian-record carrying the name Petry
The Caledonian-record 1922-03-24
Newspaper page from The Milwaukee Leader carrying the name Petry
The Milwaukee Leader 1912-02-14
Newspaper page from Grant County Herald carrying the name Petry
Grant County Herald 1916-12-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 16,541 pages in all carry the name.

Who carried it

People named Petry,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Arthur Petry
    Arthur Petry 1858–1932 · zoologist
  • Bruce Petry d. 2016 · architect
  • Johann Thomas Petry 1720–1799 · architect
  • Heinrich Petry 1832–1904 · sculptor
  • Basile Petry 1833–1905 · writer
  • Friedrich Ludwig Petry 1840–1927 · judge

Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Petry is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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