NameCensus.

UK surname

Perrett

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "small pear tree".

In the 1881 census there were 1,492 people recorded with the Perrett surname, ranking it #2,805 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,736, ranked #2,455, up from #2,805 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Paignton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, North Dorset and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perrett is 3,001 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.4%.

1881 census count

1,492

Ranked #2,805

Modern count

2,736

2016, ranked #2,455

Peak year

2000

3,001 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perrett had 1,492 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,805 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,736 in 2016, ranked #2,455.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,773 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Perrett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perrett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perrett 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 865 #3,149
1861 historical 650 #4,130
1881 historical 1,492 #2,805
1891 historical 1,777 #2,569
1901 historical 2,403 #2,264
1911 historical 2,773 #1,874
1997 modern 2,878 #2,241
1998 modern 2,967 #2,272
1999 modern 2,990 #2,266
2000 modern 3,001 #2,246
2001 modern 2,915 #2,255
2002 modern 2,941 #2,292
2003 modern 2,868 #2,294
2004 modern 2,829 #2,332
2005 modern 2,791 #2,331
2006 modern 2,779 #2,334
2007 modern 2,779 #2,359
2008 modern 2,778 #2,377
2009 modern 2,847 #2,371
2010 modern 2,867 #2,403
2011 modern 2,816 #2,412
2012 modern 2,761 #2,419
2013 modern 2,823 #2,407
2014 modern 2,819 #2,424
2015 modern 2,777 #2,434
2016 modern 2,736 #2,455

Geography

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Where Perretts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Paignton, Briton Ferry and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, North Dorset, New Forest, Caerphilly and Wiltshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Paignton Devon
4 Briton Ferry Glamorganshire
5 London parishes London 1

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 015 Stroud
2 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
3 New Forest 023 New Forest
4 Caerphilly 022 Caerphilly
5 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perrett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perrett

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

Perrett is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perrett falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Perrett

The surname Perrett is of English origin, traced back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the old French word "Perrot," which was a diminutive form of the personal name Peter. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a son or follower of Peter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Perrett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1230, where it appears as "Petrus Perrot." This entry indicates that the surname was already in use during this time period. The name is also found in various other medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where it is spelled "Pererot."

The Perrett name has been associated with several place names throughout history. One notable example is the village of Perrettshayes in Devon, which dates back to the 16th century and may have been named after an early settler or landowner with the Perrett surname.

Among the notable individuals who have borne the Perrett surname, one can mention John Perrett (1613-1670), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. Another prominent figure was William Perrett (1766-1831), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Governor of the Royal Naval Hospital in Torbay.

In the literary world, James Perrett (1822-1899) was a notable English poet and author who published several collections of poems and writings on religious topics. Additionally, Edward Perrett (1862-1935) was a British artist known for his landscape paintings, particularly of rural scenes in the English countryside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Perrett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1230, where it appears as "Petrus Perrot." This entry indicates that the surname was already in use during this time period. The name is also found in various other medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where it is spelled "Pererot."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perrett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perrett 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. Wiltshire leads with 346 Perretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.81x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 346 26.81x
Somerset 291 12.39x
Gloucestershire 181 6.32x
Middlesex 118 0.81x
Devon 92 3.03x
Surrey 76 1.07x
Dorset 53 5.53x
Kent 49 0.98x
Hampshire 43 1.44x
Glamorgan 37 1.46x
Northamptonshire 25 1.82x
Warwickshire 19 0.52x
Worcestershire 18 0.94x
Essex 16 0.56x
Lanarkshire 16 0.34x
Berkshire 14 1.28x
Lancashire 13 0.08x
Monmouthshire 13 1.23x
Herefordshire 10 1.67x
Cheshire 5 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.28x
Hertfordshire 5 0.50x
Norfolk 5 0.22x
Staffordshire 5 0.10x
Sussex 5 0.20x
Yorkshire 5 0.03x
Cornwall 4 0.24x
Derbyshire 3 0.13x
Lincolnshire 3 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.15x
Royal Navy 3 1.73x
Cardiganshire 2 0.56x
Channel Islands 2 0.46x
Durham 2 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.60x
Stirlingshire 2 0.37x
Argyllshire 1 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walcot in Somerset leads with 34 Perretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.18x.

Place Total Index
Walcot 34 27.18x
Paignton 30 129.81x
Bedminster 29 13.14x
Rowde 29 487.40x
Bridgewater 27 42.34x
Wickwar 26 565.22x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 22 8.16x
Enford 21 479.45x
Melksham 21 93.71x
Stogursey 20 317.46x
Bermondsey 17 3.91x
Newcastle Higher 16 92.75x
Tormoham 16 12.45x
Alverstoke 15 13.85x
Bromham 15 258.18x
Patney 15 2112.68x
Tetbury 15 92.48x
Weston Super Mare 15 25.29x
Bristol St George 14 10.58x
St Pancras London 14 1.19x
Earl Stoke 13 955.88x
Edington 13 278.97x
Horsington 13 346.67x
Islington London 13 0.92x
Potterne Marston 13 1566.27x
Stokenham 13 151.87x
Wincanton 13 107.53x
Kelston 12 1304.35x
Lambeth 12 0.94x
Lewisham 12 4.52x
Market Lavington 12 171.92x
Westminster St John 12 6.75x
East Stour 11 488.89x
Mere 11 75.03x
Wedmore 11 71.94x
Briton Ferry 10 32.98x
Farnborough 10 137.74x
Great Hinton 10 1204.82x
Pendleton In Salford 10 4.85x
Westbury On Trym 10 10.31x
Aldbourn 9 119.84x
Beckington 9 194.38x
Cheltenham 9 4.08x
Crick 9 193.97x
Manningford Abbotts 9 1764.71x
North Nibley 9 219.51x
Northampton Priory St 9 10.93x
Pensford St Thomas 9 681.82x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 3.85x
Slimbridge 9 211.27x
Sutton Veney 9 247.93x
West Ham 9 1.42x
Birmingham 8 0.65x
Claines 8 15.30x
Idmiston 8 276.82x
Keevil 8 425.53x
Mile End Old Town 8 3.47x
Portsea 8 1.36x
Richmond 8 8.03x
Wellow 8 115.77x
Willesden 8 5.82x
Woodbury 8 88.79x
Aston 7 0.69x
Brixham 7 19.89x
Cucklington 7 522.39x
Fovant 7 250.00x
Hackleton 7 370.37x
Iron Acton 7 121.11x
Kensington London 7 0.86x
North Newnton 7 374.33x
Paddington London 7 1.30x
Potterne 7 121.11x
St Woollos 7 5.95x
Streatham 7 6.47x
Woolwich 7 3.81x
Wotton Under Edge 7 41.49x
Barony 6 0.50x
Kilmersdon 6 51.72x
Knights Enham 6 740.74x
Wilsford 6 326.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 82
John 74
George 59
James 48
Thomas 44
Henry 36
Charles 33
Joseph 22
Edward 21
Albert 19
Alfred 18
Frederick 18
Edwin 17
Frank 15
Walter 14
Richard 13
Samuel 13
Arthur 11
Ernest 9
Robert 8
Harry 7
Thos. 7
Herbert 5
David 4
Francis 4
Daniel 3
Isaac 3
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Bertie 2
Christopher 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jesse 2
Noah 2
Silas 2
Theodore 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Worthy 2
Alford 1
Aurther 1
Austin 1
Edmund 1

FAQ

Perrett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perrett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,492 people were recorded with the Perrett surname. That placed it at #2,805 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perrett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,736 in 2016. That gives Perrett a modern rank of #2,455.

What does the Perrett surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "small pear tree".

What does the Perrett map show?

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