Petanić families are Croats and they are mostly from Nova Gradiska area. In the past century, relatively most of Croatian residents bearing this family name were born in Nova Gradiska area and in Nova Gradiska. In Sičice in Nova Gradiska area every tenth inhabitant had the family name Petanić.
Prevalence
About 60 people with faimily name Petanić live in Croatia today, in 19 households. There were 80 of them in the middle of the past century, and their number decreased by 30 percent. They are located in only four naselja i to in Sicice in Nova Gradiska area (50), Zagreb (<10), Nova Gradiska (<10), and in Supetar on the Island of Brac (<10).
Outside Croatia
Family name Petanić (including: Petanic , Petanick ) is present in 6 countries on three continents. "Petanick " is used by small number of people in the United States.
In the sources analysed in the project Acta Croatica so far, the name is mentioned few times, the first time 1734 in source Catholic Church Parish Records.