PETIT
Petit is a surname of French origin, first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 for an individual in Hampshire. The name derives from the Old French word petit, meaning “small” or “little”, and was originally applied as a nickname to a person of diminutive stature or to the younger of two bearers of the same given name.
During the Middle Ages it was common practice for surnames to be formed from nicknames that described a personal characteristic. Petit is one such example, and it spread throughout the French-speaking world as families adopted the name more widely. The surname remains common in France today, as well as in French-speaking parts of Canada, Haiti and the Congo, reflecting the historical movements of French colonists and settlers across the globe.
The earliest known reference to the name in England is found in a Hampshire entry of the Domesday Book, a survey commissioned by King William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Subsequent records include one John Petit mentioned in the Feet of Fines of Essex in 1228, and later marriages such as Agnes Pettyt to Alexander Pyper in 1566 and Alice Pettit to William Wells in 1608.
Notable bearers of the surname also include Lewis Des Etans Petit (1665–1720), a brigadier general and military engineer who distinguished himself in the war of the Spanish succession (1700–1713).
Variations of the name in England encompass Petyt, Pettit, Pettet, Petty and Pettie, while in France cognates such as Lepetit and Petelin are found. Other diminutive forms include Petiteau and Petitot, which effectively mean “little” in French.
In France the surname is especially concentrated in the department of La Vendée in western France. Outside of continental Europe, considerable numbers of people with the surname appear in the United States, England, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, all of which share historical ties, either through migration or through the legacy of French cultural influence, with France.
While the etymology of Petit denotes smallness, it does not convey any particular physical size regarding contemporary bearers of the name. The surname has become a marker of family lineage rather than a literal description of one’s stature.
Overall, the Petit surname has maintained a sustained presence within French society and beyond for many centuries, a testament to the enduring influence of medieval naming practices and to the patterns of French diaspora that continue to shape populations around the world.
Typical given names associated with the Petit surname
Male
- Andre
- Christopher
- David
- Emmanuel
- Henry
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Julien
- Marc
- Michael
- Nicholas
- Pascal
- Thomas
Female
- Abigail
- Alison
- Anne
- Caroline
- Celine
- Gaelle
- Jane
- Jean
- Lindsey
- Marie
- Michelle
- Sarah
- Stephanie
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Petit in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Petit are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Oreo.
There are approximately 547 people named Petit in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around eight in a million people in Britain are named Petit.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: France
Language of origin: French
