NameCensus.

UK surname

Perham

A surname referring to someone from the English village of Perham.

In the 1881 census there were 273 people recorded with the Perham surname, ranking it #10,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 418, ranked #11,472, down from #10,390 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Winsham , Cricket St Thomas. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Torridge and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perham is 451 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.1%.

1881 census count

273

Ranked #10,390

Modern count

418

2016, ranked #11,472

Peak year

1911

451 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perham had 273 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,390 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016, ranked #11,472.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Perham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perham 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 214 #9,898
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 273 #10,390
1891 historical 357 #9,678
1901 historical 334 #10,818
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 420 #10,973
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 421 #10,984
2001 modern 414 #10,942
2002 modern 429 #10,858
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 405 #11,177
2005 modern 394 #11,308
2006 modern 390 #11,459
2007 modern 394 #11,508
2008 modern 397 #11,556
2009 modern 402 #11,682
2010 modern 427 #11,379
2011 modern 433 #11,116
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 434 #11,158
2014 modern 433 #11,262
2015 modern 416 #11,561
2016 modern 418 #11,472

Geography

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Where Perhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Winsham , Cricket St Thomas and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Torridge, East Devon, Horsham and Teignbridge. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Winsham , Cricket St Thomas Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
2 Torridge 005 Torridge
3 East Devon 005 East Devon
4 Horsham 001 Horsham
5 Teignbridge 001 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Perham, 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 Perham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Perham 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, Perham 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

Perham is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perham falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Perham 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 Perham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Perham

The surname Perham is an English locational surname that originated from the village of Parham in Suffolk, England. The name itself is derived from the Old English words 'per' meaning pear tree and 'ham' meaning homestead or village, translating to 'the homestead by the pear trees'.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name Perham dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as 'Perehame'. This suggests that the name was already established in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as 'Pareham' and 'Pereham', reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time. The earliest known bearer of the name was William de Pereham, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1195.

The Perham family had a presence in various parts of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Hertfordshire. One notable figure was Sir John Perham, a member of the landed gentry in Hertfordshire, who was born in 1520 and served as a Member of Parliament for the county in 1547.

Another prominent individual with the surname Perham was Robert Perham, a British clergyman and author who lived from 1674 to 1748. He is best known for his work 'The Moral and Religious Aphorisms of Dr. Whichcote', published in 1703.

In the 18th century, the name Perham was found in several parishes across England, including Parham in Suffolk, which was likely the original source of the surname. Records from this period show variations such as 'Pereham', 'Perrum', and 'Pairham'.

One notable bearer of the name in the 19th century was Caleb Perham, an American businessman and inventor who lived from 1804 to 1888. He is credited with developing the first successful machine for making paper bags.

Another individual of note was John Perham, a British artist and engraver who was born in 1789 and worked in London during the early 19th century. His works included engravings of notable buildings and landscapes.

The Perham surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Perham Down in Wiltshire and Perham Park in Hampshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perham 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. Somerset leads with 65 Perhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.94x.

County Total Index
Somerset 65 14.94x
Devon 64 11.38x
Middlesex 44 1.63x
Surrey 24 1.82x
Gloucestershire 18 3.40x
Dorset 13 7.33x
Hampshire 12 2.17x
Kent 7 0.76x
Lancashire 6 0.19x
Warwickshire 5 0.73x
Staffordshire 4 0.44x
Channel Islands 3 3.75x
Glamorgan 2 0.43x
Oxfordshire 2 1.20x
Wiltshire 2 0.84x
Brecknockshire 1 1.85x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Perthshire 1 0.82x
Royal Navy 1 3.11x
Suffolk 1 0.30x
Sussex 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winsham in Somerset leads with 21 Perhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2658.23x.

Place Total Index
Winsham 21 2658.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 16 32.07x
Uffculme 11 654.76x
Halberton 10 763.36x
Acton 8 50.51x
Axminster 8 303.03x
Chelsea London 8 9.83x
Islington London 8 3.05x
Chardstock 7 569.11x
Woking 7 88.27x
Kilmington 6 1304.35x
Long Ashton 6 277.78x
Membury 6 1000.00x
Puriton 6 857.14x
Stretford 6 34.01x
Tiverton 6 61.92x
Willesden 6 23.56x
Birmingham 5 2.20x
Clapham 5 14.80x
Hackney London 5 3.30x
West Chelborough 5 8333.33x
Buckland St Mary 4 714.29x
Buriton 4 373.83x
Combe Raleigh 4 1904.76x
Croydon 4 5.47x
Greenwich 4 9.30x
Portsea 4 3.69x
Seaton 4 184.33x
Walsall Foreign 4 8.49x
Wellow 4 312.50x
Wells St Cuthbert 4 134.68x
Andover 3 57.36x
Bradninch 3 188.68x
Kensington London 3 2.00x
St Helier 3 11.51x
Wimbledon 3 20.30x
Yeovil 3 33.94x
Battersea 2 2.01x
Bickleigh 2 363.64x
Chilton Polden 2 606.06x
Clifton 2 7.47x
Lambeth 2 0.85x
Lewisham 2 4.07x
St George In East 2 10.88x
Street 2 85.11x
Swindon 2 10.79x
Tackley 2 400.00x
Wembdon 2 155.04x
Bermondsey 1 1.24x
Chard 1 18.98x
Chilton Trinity 1 666.67x
Clevedon 1 22.12x
Clist St George 1 400.00x
Creech St Michael 1 92.59x
Cullompton 1 40.65x
Englishcombe 1 208.33x
Exeter Heavitree 1 23.87x
Exminster 1 49.51x
Frome 1 9.62x
Gorleston 1 11.96x
Herne 1 24.51x
Keynsham 1 32.05x
Llangattock 1 22.73x
Llansamlet Higher 1 28.49x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.34x
Moorlinch Stawell 1 625.00x
Paddington London 1 1.01x
Penarth 1 21.74x
Perth East Church 1 8.75x
Risley 1 476.19x
Royal Navy 1 3.63x
Ryde 1 8.40x
St Pancras London 1 0.46x
Toller Porcorum 1 243.90x
Ubley 1 384.62x
Walcot 1 4.32x
West Grinstead 1 72.99x
Westminster St John 1 3.04x
Weston Super Mare 1 9.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Louisa 9
Sarah 7
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Jane 5
Lucy 5
Caroline 4
Ellen 4
Laura 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Edith 3
Florence 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Gertrude 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Annabella 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Elanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizath. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Fannie 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Forbes 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 17
George 16
Henry 12
Thomas 10
Charles 7
Robert 7
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Bernard 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Albt. 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo.W. 1
Hamlyn 1
Harry 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Oliver 1
Reginald 1
Rewben 1
Rich. 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Perham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 273 people were recorded with the Perham surname. That placed it at #10,390 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016. That gives Perham a modern rank of #11,472.

What does the Perham surname mean?

A surname referring to someone from the English village of Perham.

What does the Perham map show?

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