Not that I want to be anal, but here's the proper spelling above. The word comes from Petit Fer, with a the word Petit in diminutive as Tit. Fer means Iron. So literal translation is Little Iron.
OK, Maz. Seeing I messed up my spelling in my post (a typo, really!), I need to add something. Yes, it is Tit Fer. Fer is for iron. If your remember your high school chemistry iron (element #26) has the symbol Fe, from the latin ferrum.
No relatives in the South that I know of. It's clear from my accordion
skills, that there isn't any Cajun blood in my veins!! Altho' maybe that
would help.