NameCensus.

UK surname

Perman

A variant spelling of the English surname Pearman, referring to someone from Pear Tree.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Perman surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, down from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and St Giles Camberwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perman is 266 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.5%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

1911

266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perman had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Perman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perman 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 137 #13,812
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 199 #14,977
1901 historical 229 #13,894
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 224 #16,392
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 219 #17,085
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 217 #17,217
2006 modern 216 #17,397
2007 modern 212 #17,803
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 227 #17,544
2010 modern 229 #17,805
2011 modern 228 #17,673
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 217 #18,645
2015 modern 215 #18,659
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Permans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, St Giles Camberwell and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea and Portsmouth. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 014 Swansea
2 Swansea 020 Swansea
3 Swansea 012 Swansea
4 Swansea 019 Swansea
5 Portsmouth 011 Portsmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perman

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Perman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Perman is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perman 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 Perman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Perman

The surname PERMAN has its origins in England, with records indicating its use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "parmain," which referred to a type of apple or pear tree. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who cultivated or sold these fruits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PERMAN appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is mentioned as "Johanne Perman." This document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, served as a census and tax record for the county.

In the 14th century, the surname PERMAN can be found in various court records and manorial rolls across different regions of England. For instance, a John Perman was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1349.

During the late medieval period, the name PERMAN was also associated with certain locations. For example, the village of Parham in Sussex was once known as "Perman's Hamme," indicating a possible connection between the surname and this place name.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname PERMAN throughout history are:

1. Thomas Perman (c. 1515-1584), an English Protestant reformer and author from Norfolk. 2. Richard Perman (1614-1688), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Hertfordshire. 3. John Perman (1677-1745), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. 4. Elizabeth Perman (1720-1802), a philanthropist and benefactor from Yorkshire, known for her charitable works in her local community. 5. William Perman (1805-1879), a prominent industrialist and factory owner from Lancashire, who played a significant role in the cotton textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.

While the PERMAN surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and colonization. However, the earliest recorded instances and most historical references to this surname can be traced back to its English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perman 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. Middlesex leads with 49 Permans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 3.03x
Surrey 19 2.41x
Hampshire 17 5.12x
Glamorgan 15 5.32x
Nottinghamshire 13 5.96x
Somerset 12 4.60x
Renfrewshire 11 8.77x
Kent 9 1.63x
Sussex 4 1.47x
Derbyshire 3 1.18x
Ayrshire 2 1.65x
Lanarkshire 2 0.38x
Lancashire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.49x
Berkshire 1 0.82x
Essex 1 0.31x
Gloucestershire 1 0.31x
Midlothian 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 5.18x
Wiltshire 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 14 Permans recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.55x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 14 60.55x
Chilwell 13 2241.38x
Camberwell 12 11.60x
St Pancras London 12 9.21x
Kilmalcolm 9 600.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 8 117.30x
Deptford St Paul 7 16.43x
Ealing 7 48.38x
Portsea 7 10.76x
Norwood 6 162.16x
Islington London 5 3.19x
Bedminster 4 16.33x
Hornsey 4 19.53x
Mile End Old Town 4 15.65x
Millbrook 4 47.85x
St Marylebone London 4 4.63x
Hulland Ward 3 1363.64x
Pagham 3 625.00x
Portsmouth 3 39.27x
Cathcart 2 29.46x
Edgbaston 2 15.80x
Kensington London 2 2.22x
Kilmarnock 2 13.87x
Lambeth 2 1.42x
Manchester 2 2.31x
Newington 2 3.34x
Old Monkland 2 9.62x
Shoreditch London 2 2.85x
St Thomas Winchester 2 85.47x
Tonbridge 2 10.04x
Cardiff St George 1 769.23x
Clapham 1 4.94x
Croydon 1 2.28x
Duddingston 1 22.99x
Fareham 1 25.06x
Fisherton Anger 1 37.74x
Heston 1 18.59x
Hove 1 8.35x
Marcham 1 227.27x
Royal Navy 1 6.06x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 53.76x
St George Hanover 1 4.73x
Stoke 1 26.88x
West Ham 1 1.42x
Westbury On Trym 1 9.29x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 11
Charles 6
William 6
Alfred 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Edward 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
John 3
Albert 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Sydney 2
Archibald 1
Chas. 1
Edgar 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
James 1
Morland 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Waldegrave 1

FAQ

Perman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Perman surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Perman a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Perman surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Pearman, referring to someone from Pear Tree.

What does the Perman map show?

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