Barbara
From Harlow to just east of Chelmsford (approx 10 miles) is where you will find well over 90% of the Petts (incl variants).............places such as Harlow, Sheering, High Laver, Matching, Mashbury, Roding, Hatfield Heath, Writtle are where you will find them going back into the mid 1700's at least..............
for me..........the probability is you are looking at one family!
plenty of info on IGI including..........
1703.....
WILLIAM PETTS married MARY BRITAIN....22nd NOV 1703....MAGDALEN LAVER
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1729.....
WILLIAM PETTS married ANN READ....NETTESWELL
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1734
ELIZABETH PETTS married JAMES PERRY........NETTESWELL
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1745.......
SUSANNAH PETTS married FRANCIS SOTHON..........NETTESWELL
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1782........
8th Feb 1782.......JOSIAS PETTS married MARY WATERMAN....at AYTHORPE RODING
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1781..........
ANN PETTS born 19th July 1781.....Christianed 28th July 1781........parents GEORGE & SARAH.......HATFIELD HEATH, ESSEX
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1783........
WILLIAM PETTS born 15th June 1783...Christianed 20th July 1783....parents GEORGE & SARAH................HATFIELD HEATH, ESSEX
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1782.......
SALLY PETTS Christianed 5th April 1782...........father EDWARD PETTS............ABBESS RODING, ESSEX
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1812..........
WILLIAM PETTS married SARAH PARRISH....30th Nov 1812...EPPING, ESSEX
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1841
SHEERING STREET, SHEERING, ESSEX
WILLIAM PETTS 60 AG LAB Y
SARAH " 50 Y
JAMES " 16 Y
JOSEPH " 14 Y
ELIZA " 12 Y
WILLIAM " 9 Y
SARAH " 6 Y
THOMAS " 3 Y
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Bryant