NameCensus.

UK surname

Perch

A surname derived from the Old French word "perche", referring to a branch or pole.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Perch surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lewisham and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Gwynedd and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perch is 120 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.0%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1881

120 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perch had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 120 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Perch surname distribution map

The map shows where the Perch surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Perch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perch over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 65 #21,747
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 105 #22,179
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 86 #32,297
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Perchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lewisham and Eccles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southwark, Gwynedd, Wyre, Maidstone and West Lindsey. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southwark 025 Southwark
2 Gwynedd 013 Gwynedd
3 Wyre 004 Wyre
4 Maidstone 018 Maidstone
5 West Lindsey 001 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perch

These lists show first names that appear often with the Perch surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perch

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Perch, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Perch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Perch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Perch is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Perch is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perch falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Perch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Perch, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Perch

The surname Perch has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "persc," which referred to a type of freshwater fish, the perch. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name for someone who caught or sold perch.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records with spellings such as "Perche" and "Perche." One of the earliest documented instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1208, where a person named Roger Perche is mentioned.

The name Perch is also found in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like survey conducted in England between 1274 and 1275. This record lists individuals with the surname from various counties, indicating its spread across the country.

In the 14th century, the Perch surname can be found in the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire from 1379, where several individuals with the name are listed. This suggests that the name had established itself as a distinct surname by this time.

Interestingly, the name Perch also appears to have been associated with certain place names. For instance, there is a village called Perch in Wiltshire, and a hamlet called Perch Hill in Worcestershire. It is possible that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of residence.

Notable people with the surname Perch throughout history include:

1. Robert Perch (c. 1350 - c. 1420), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire. 2. William Perch (c. 1510 - c. 1580), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 3. Edmund Perch (c. 1560 - c. 1635), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 4. John Perch (c. 1620 - c. 1680), an English merchant and landowner who was active in the colonies of Virginia and Maryland. 5. Thomas Perch (c. 1770 - c. 1840), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was present at the Battle of Trafalgar.

The surname Perch, with its origins in Old English and its potential occupational and locational connections, has a rich history that spans several centuries in England. Its presence in various historical records and association with notable individuals highlight its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perch surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 32 Perchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.01x.

County Total Index
Kent 32 8.01x
Surrey 26 4.56x
Lancashire 23 1.66x
Middlesex 13 1.11x
Sussex 8 4.05x
Warwickshire 6 2.03x
Yorkshire 6 0.52x
Dorset 3 3.91x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.35x
Cornwall 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 10 Perchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.27x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 10 21.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 33.97x
Camberwell 7 9.36x
Heathfield 7 875.00x
Lambeth 7 6.86x
Aston 6 7.38x
Deptford St Paul 6 19.48x
Pendleton In Salford 6 36.28x
Rochester St Margaret 6 142.52x
Greenwich 5 26.84x
Horton In Bradford 5 27.61x
Hammersmith London 4 13.87x
Lewisham 4 18.79x
Liverpool 4 4.74x
Sherborne 3 132.74x
Strood 3 131.58x
Tonbridge 3 20.83x
Manchester 2 3.20x
Sevenoaks 2 61.73x
Southwark St Thomas 2 645.16x
St Marylebone London 2 3.20x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 4.42x
Clapham 1 6.84x
Folkestone 1 12.90x
Harrow On The Hill 1 42.74x
Hove 1 11.55x
Isleworth 1 19.23x
Islington London 1 0.88x
Kensington London 1 1.54x
Lawhitton 1 588.24x
Maidstone 1 8.41x
Middlesbrough 1 6.62x
Newington 1 2.31x
Ratcliffe London 1 15.48x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 80.65x
St George Hanover 1 6.54x
St Pancras London 1 1.06x
West Broughton 1 212.77x
Wisbech St Peter 1 26.88x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Perch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 9
Eliza 7
Ellen 4
Agnes 3
Edith 3
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Sarah 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Alice 1
Bridgit 1
Cath. 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Evelyn 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Matha 1
Millicent 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Perch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
George 10
William 7
Henry 5
James 4
Thomas 4
John 3
Richard 2
Albert 1
Aubrey 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Nevill 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos.G. 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Perch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Perch surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Perch a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Perch surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "perche", referring to a branch or pole.

What does the Perch map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Perch bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.