NameCensus.

UK surname

Peregrine

A surname derived from the Latin word "peregrinus" meaning traveler, foreigner, or wanderer.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Peregrine surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llannon and Llandilofawr, Llandyfeysaint. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Peregrine is 250 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.2%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

1911

250 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Peregrine had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 250 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Peregrine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Peregrine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Peregrine 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 99 #17,294
1861 historical 57 #26,718
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 187 #15,679
1901 historical 217 #14,381
1911 historical 250 #12,918
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 188 #18,652
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 185 #19,204
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 179 #20,732
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 171 #21,654
2014 modern 180 #21,115
2015 modern 173 #21,542
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Peregrines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llannon, Llandilofawr, Llandyfeysaint, Pembrey and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Westminster. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Llannon Carmarthenshire
3 Llandilofawr, Llandyfeysaint Carmarthenshire
4 Pembrey Carmarthenshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 004 Carmarthenshire
2 Pembrokeshire 001 Pembrokeshire
3 Carmarthenshire 016 Carmarthenshire
4 Carmarthenshire 013 Carmarthenshire
5 Westminster 011 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Peregrine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Peregrine

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Peregrine, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Peregrine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Peregrine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Peregrine is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Peregrine is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Peregrine falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Peregrine is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Peregrine

The surname Peregrine has its origins in the Latin word 'peregrinus', meaning 'foreigner' or 'traveler'. It is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages, where it was likely given as a descriptive name to someone who had traveled or lived abroad.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peregrine can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholdings and estates in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name had already made its way across the English Channel by the 11th century.

In medieval times, the name Peregrine was often associated with those who had undertaken pilgrimages or participated in the Crusades. It was a name that conveyed a sense of adventure and exploration, reflecting the spirit of the times.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Peregrine was Sir Roger Peregrine, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Another notable figure was Peregrine Bertie, 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1555-1601), an English nobleman and soldier who served under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the literary realm, the name Peregrine is perhaps most famously associated with the character of Peregrine Pickle, the protagonist of Tobias Smollett's 1751 novel of the same name. The novel's satirical portrayal of 18th-century society and its adventurous protagonist helped to solidify the name's association with wanderlust and daring exploits.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Peregrine include Sir Thomas Peregrine Courtenay (1782-1841), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Peregrine Worsthorne (1923-2022), an English journalist and commentator who wrote for The Sunday Telegraph.

Throughout its history, the surname Peregrine has maintained its connection to travel, exploration, and a sense of adventure, reflecting the wandering spirit of those who bore it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Peregrine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Peregrine 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. Carmarthenshire leads with 55 Peregrines recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.64x.

County Total Index
Carmarthenshire 55 91.64x
Glamorgan 39 15.73x
Pembrokeshire 30 66.28x
Lancashire 7 0.41x
Cumberland 4 3.26x
Cardiganshire 3 8.64x
Hampshire 3 1.03x
Brecknockshire 2 7.02x
Durham 2 0.47x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llannon in Carmarthenshire leads with 19 Peregrines recorded in 1881 and an index of 2317.07x.

Place Total Index
Llannon 19 2317.07x
Llanelly 18 133.14x
Cwmdu 10 331.13x
Llangynwyd Middle 8 2500.00x
Meline 8 4705.88x
Elton 7 119.86x
Llanarthney 7 769.23x
Dinas 6 1578.95x
Llanwonno 6 67.34x
Castellan 5 6250.00x
Pembrey 5 181.16x
Ystradyfodwg 5 22.99x
Clase 4 43.38x
Seaton 4 279.72x
Talley 4 975.61x
Glyncorrwg 3 476.19x
Newport 3 410.96x
Silchester 3 1304.35x
Eglwys Wrw 2 909.09x
Llandissilio 2 400.00x
Llandyssil 2 137.93x
Lower Ystradgynlais 2 113.64x
Pembroke St Mary 2 34.31x
Stockton On Tees 2 9.79x
Swansea Higher 2 77.52x
Aberdare 1 5.88x
Bletherston 1 833.33x
Llandilo Fawr 1 37.31x
Mydrim 1 227.27x
Trefilan 1 769.23x
Wandsworth 1 7.29x
Whitechurch By Cardigan 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Ann 6
Margaret 6
Elizabeth 5
Jane 5
Hannah 4
Sarah 4
Anne 3
Martha 3
Amelia 2
Ellen 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Cathn. 1
Claudia 1
Diana 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Hariet 1
Joanna 1
Kesiah 1
Lizzie 1
Mgt.Hannah 1
Olivia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
David 10
James 6
William 6
Evan 4
Thomas 4
Daniel 3
Phillip 3
Joseph 2
Rees 2
Allart 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Harold 1
Jabez 1
Lawson 1
Llewellyn 1
Montegue 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Peregrine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Peregrine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Peregrine surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Peregrine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Peregrine a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Peregrine surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin word "peregrinus" meaning traveler, foreigner, or wanderer.

What does the Peregrine map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Peregrine 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.