NameCensus.

UK surname

Perring

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Perry or Perrin.

In the 1881 census there were 615 people recorded with the Perring surname, ranking it #5,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 769, ranked #7,138, down from #5,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Neath Port Talbot and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perring is 866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.0%.

1881 census count

615

Ranked #5,717

Modern count

769

2016, ranked #7,138

Peak year

1911

866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perring had 615 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 769 in 2016, ranked #7,138.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Perring surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perring surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perring 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 526 #4,768
1861 historical 480 #5,436
1881 historical 615 #5,717
1891 historical 666 #5,844
1901 historical 779 #5,767
1911 historical 866 #5,130
1997 modern 810 #6,472
1998 modern 837 #6,515
1999 modern 834 #6,580
2000 modern 812 #6,699
2001 modern 783 #6,756
2002 modern 774 #6,959
2003 modern 765 #6,904
2004 modern 740 #7,098
2005 modern 700 #7,344
2006 modern 703 #7,326
2007 modern 712 #7,331
2008 modern 726 #7,279
2009 modern 749 #7,263
2010 modern 772 #7,221
2011 modern 758 #7,246
2012 modern 759 #7,156
2013 modern 800 #6,954
2014 modern 794 #7,046
2015 modern 785 #7,047
2016 modern 769 #7,138

Geography

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Where Perrings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Dittisham and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Neath Port Talbot, Plymouth, Cornwall and Waveney. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dittisham Devon
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 004 South Hams
2 Neath Port Talbot 002 Neath Port Talbot
3 Plymouth 020 Plymouth
4 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
5 Waveney 004 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perring

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perring

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

Perring 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

Perring 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 Perring 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 Perring, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Perring

The surname Perring is of English origin, first appearing in records around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "perie," meaning a small pear, suggesting the name was initially a nickname for someone associated with pears or a pear orchard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Perring surname is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Pering. Another early example is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a John Peryngg is listed.

The name is also found in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1310, which includes a reference to a Richard Peryng. This document provides evidence that the name was present in various parts of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the Perring surname appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, where a John Perynge is mentioned in 1348. This record suggests the name had spread to northern England by that time.

One notable historical figure with the Perring surname was Sir William Perring (1558-1618), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. He served as a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in the early 17th century.

Another notable individual was John Perring (1617-1671), an English clergyman and academic who served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1668 to 1671.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure was Richard Perring (1727-1786), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Founders' Wing at Christ's Hospital.

John James Perring (1801-1861) was a notable English architect and archaeologist who conducted extensive studies and published works on the ancient sites and monuments of Egypt and the Near East.

Lastly, Samuel Perring (1792-1843) was an English explorer and surveyor who participated in several expeditions to the Mediterranean and Middle East regions, contributing to the early study of ancient sites and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perring families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perring 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. Devon leads with 282 Perrings recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.47x.

County Total Index
Devon 282 22.47x
Middlesex 113 1.87x
Surrey 69 2.35x
Essex 24 2.02x
Gloucestershire 15 1.27x
Lancashire 15 0.21x
Berkshire 14 3.09x
Dorset 9 2.27x
Cornwall 8 1.17x
Kent 8 0.39x
Wiltshire 8 1.50x
Northamptonshire 7 1.23x
Somerset 7 0.72x
Lincolnshire 6 0.62x
Royal Navy 6 8.35x
Suffolk 6 0.82x
Glamorgan 4 0.38x
Sussex 4 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.52x
Cheshire 2 0.15x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Warwickshire 2 0.13x
Channel Islands 1 0.56x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 45 Perrings recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.75x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 45 84.75x
Islington London 34 5.82x
Newington 31 13.92x
Camberwell 17 4.41x
Dittisham 17 1370.97x
Brixham 16 110.04x
St Pancras London 16 3.30x
Stoke Damerel 15 17.08x
Dartmouth St Saviour 12 335.20x
Slapton 12 937.50x
Newton Abbot St Mary 11 104.46x
St Marylebone London 11 3.42x
Tottenham 11 11.46x
West Alvington 11 625.00x
Yealmpton 11 569.95x
Hackney London 10 2.96x
Cirencester 9 56.21x
Reigate Foreign 9 28.29x
Charleton 8 707.96x
Clerkenwell London 8 5.62x
Dartmouth St Petrox 8 441.99x
Malborough 8 160.32x
Stokefleming 8 506.33x
Blackawton 7 319.63x
Churston Ferrers 7 530.30x
Daventry 7 87.28x
Helston 7 98.73x
Ipplepen 7 409.36x
Reading St Giles 7 15.77x
Bedminster 6 6.58x
Chardstock 6 218.98x
Croydon 6 3.68x
Highweek 6 134.23x
Lowestoft 6 17.30x
Quendon 6 1500.00x
Royal Navy 6 9.77x
Salford 6 2.85x
Crudwell 5 322.58x
Dartmouth Townstall 5 97.85x
Devonport 5 34.67x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 13.92x
Holbeton 5 217.39x
Lee 5 16.74x
Mile End Old Town 5 5.25x
Northam 5 54.64x
Plympton Maurice 5 210.97x
Skirbeck 5 92.59x
Ashprington 4 430.11x
Little Chesterford 4 909.09x
Neath 4 18.73x
New Windsor 4 26.30x
Rickling 4 430.11x
Saffron Walden 4 31.82x
Totnes 4 54.50x
East Allington 3 277.78x
Halwell 3 218.98x
Paignton 3 31.41x
Plymouth Charles The 3 5.43x
St Giles In Fields 3 14.43x
Battersea 2 0.90x
Bowdon 2 37.88x
Bredgar 2 157.48x
East Stonehouse 2 8.09x
Fulham London 2 2.29x
Harberton 2 69.93x
Hillingdon 2 10.41x
Hurstpierpoint 2 35.34x
Kingsbridge 2 63.29x
Linton 2 55.10x
Little Chishall 2 740.74x
Morleigh 2 909.09x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.07x
Poole St James 2 13.45x
Reading St Mary 2 5.52x
South Huish 2 327.87x
St George Hanover 2 2.54x
Stokenham 2 56.66x
Subdeanery 2 25.94x
Wembury 2 175.44x
Wycombe 2 7.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 19
Eliza 14
Ann 10
Annie 10
Catherine 10
Emily 10
Emma 10
Jane 9
Susan 9
Ellen 8
Florence 8
Alice 7
Caroline 6
Frances 6
Louisa 5
Hannah 4
Louise 4
Margaret 4
Ada 3
Agness 3
Amelia 3
Bertha 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Helena 3
Lucy 3
Susannah 3
Anna 2
Clara 2
Florance 2
Francis 2
Georgina 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Laura 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Susanna 2
Tabitha 2
Theresa 2
Augusta 1
Bessie 1
Elenor 1
Ella 1
Helen 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 47
John 32
George 21
Henry 18
James 16
Thomas 14
Alfred 12
Richard 10
Charles 9
Frederick 8
Joseph 8
Edward 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Edwin 4
Philip 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
David 3
Allen 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fredk.W. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
H. 2
Nicholas 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Capel 1
Cyril 1
Douglas 1
E.Jas. 1
Earnest 1
Eli 1
Ezra 1
Fredik.G. 1
Fredk.A. 1
Fredk.J. 1
Isaac 1
Jas.R. 1
Jonathan 1
Marmaduke 1
Mary 1
Nellie 1
Obadiah 1
Peter 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Perring surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perring surname in 1881?

In 1881, 615 people were recorded with the Perring surname. That placed it at #5,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perring surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 769 in 2016. That gives Perring a modern rank of #7,138.

What does the Perring surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Perry or Perrin.

What does the Perring map show?

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