Jaak Peetre's father was Arthur Peetre (1907–1989), an Estonian jurist, historian, archivist, and from 1941 to 1942 mayor of Pärnu. Jaak Peetre went to Sweden with his parents and brother in 1944. At Lund University he graduated with BSc in 1956 and PhD in 1959. His thesis advisor was Åke Pleijel. At Lund University, Peetre was an assistant professor from 1956 to 1959, an associate professor from 1960 to 1963, and full professor from 1963 to 1988. He was briefly in 1988 a visiting professor at the University of Madrid and was from 1988 to 1992 a visiting professor at Stockholm University. At Lund University he was a lecturer from 1993 to 1997, an assistant professor from 1997 to 2000, and professor emeritus from 2000. He was also a visiting professor at New York University for the academic year 1960–1961 and at University of Maryland for the academic year 1961–1962.
