NameCensus.

UK surname

Perrins

A surname derived from a French place name referring to someone originating from that location.

In the 1881 census there were 918 people recorded with the Perrins surname, ranking it #4,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,198, ranked #4,968, down from #4,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Trentham and Kidderminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Telford and Wrekin and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perrins is 1,333 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.5%.

1881 census count

918

Ranked #4,174

Modern count

1,198

2016, ranked #4,968

Peak year

1911

1,333 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perrins had 918 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016, ranked #4,968.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,333 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Perrins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perrins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perrins 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 476 #5,228
1861 historical 505 #5,180
1881 historical 918 #4,174
1891 historical 968 #4,270
1901 historical 1,226 #4,037
1911 historical 1,333 #3,586
1997 modern 1,196 #4,724
1998 modern 1,284 #4,626
1999 modern 1,296 #4,608
2000 modern 1,298 #4,581
2001 modern 1,285 #4,529
2002 modern 1,298 #4,578
2003 modern 1,268 #4,578
2004 modern 1,254 #4,629
2005 modern 1,232 #4,658
2006 modern 1,220 #4,711
2007 modern 1,241 #4,688
2008 modern 1,235 #4,730
2009 modern 1,260 #4,750
2010 modern 1,305 #4,690
2011 modern 1,279 #4,711
2012 modern 1,253 #4,734
2013 modern 1,253 #4,809
2014 modern 1,250 #4,846
2015 modern 1,227 #4,872
2016 modern 1,198 #4,968

Geography

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Where Perrins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Trentham, Kidderminster, Oldswinford and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Telford and Wrekin and Stafford. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 Trentham Staffordshire
3 Kidderminster Worcestershire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 038 Walsall
2 Walsall 036 Walsall
3 Telford and Wrekin 019 Telford and Wrekin
4 Stafford 003 Stafford
5 Stafford 015 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perrins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perrins

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Perrins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Perrins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Perrins 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

Perrins is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perrins 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 Perrins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Perrins

The surname Perrins is of English origin, derived from the Norman French personal name Perin, a diminutive of Pierre, the French form of Peter. It is believed to have first emerged in the 12th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name was initially concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, where records show some of the earliest instances of the Perrins surname. One of the earliest recorded bearers was Hugh Peryns, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1196.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Perin, Perryn, and Perrin, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list a Walter Peryn in Oxfordshire, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 includes a John Peryns.

As the surname spread across England, it took on additional variations, including Perren, Perrin, and Perring. One notable bearer was William Perrins (1775-1849), a renowned English inventor and manufacturer who, along with John Wheeley Lea, created the famous Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce in the early 19th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Perrins (1843-1925), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1908-1909. In the field of literature, Jacob Perrins (1835-1890) was an English poet and author known for his works such as "The Idylls of the Sea" and "The Vision of Avalon."

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded Perrins was John Perrins, who arrived in Virginia in 1624. His descendants later settled in various parts of the country, including Pennsylvania, where Samuel Perrins (1814-1888) became a notable figure in the local community.

Throughout history, the Perrins surname has been associated with various occupations, including farmers, merchants, and professionals. While its origins can be traced back to the Norman French name Perin, the Perrins family has left its mark across England and beyond, contributing to various fields and demonstrating the enduring legacy of this historic surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perrins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perrins 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. Staffordshire leads with 258 Perrins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.61x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 258 8.61x
Worcestershire 216 18.63x
Warwickshire 160 7.15x
Lancashire 60 0.57x
Middlesex 52 0.59x
Shropshire 37 4.82x
Glamorgan 18 1.16x
Yorkshire 17 0.19x
Derbyshire 12 0.86x
Devon 11 0.60x
Surrey 11 0.25x
Kent 8 0.26x
Gloucestershire 7 0.40x
Lanarkshire 7 0.24x
Somerset 7 0.49x
Cornwall 4 0.40x
Leicestershire 4 0.41x
Angus 3 0.36x
Cheshire 3 0.15x
Hampshire 3 0.16x
Herefordshire 3 0.82x
Oxfordshire 3 0.55x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.19x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Lincolnshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 83 Perrins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.46x.

Place Total Index
Aston 83 13.46x
Birmingham 74 9.92x
Kidderminster Borough 45 66.32x
Walsall Foreign 36 23.26x
Tipton 32 34.88x
Handsworth 31 41.98x
Trentham 31 121.66x
Harborne 24 24.99x
Chaddesley Corbett 22 505.75x
Lye 18 93.31x
Islington London 17 1.98x
Whistones 15 178.78x
Darlaston 14 33.81x
Kingswinford 13 11.95x
West Bromwich 13 7.58x
Upperswinford 12 122.32x
Bromsgrove 11 28.19x
Skelmersdale 11 62.68x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 3.46x
Warrington 11 8.81x
Whittington 11 57.20x
Kidderminster Foreign 10 61.01x
Plympton St Mary 10 93.63x
Swansea Town 10 7.89x
Huyton With Roby 9 72.93x
Wolverhampton 9 3.91x
Wombridge 9 95.04x
Fulham London 8 6.21x
Stourbridge 8 26.82x
Warley Wigorn 8 216.80x
Wellington 8 18.56x
Wolverley 8 78.59x
Battersea 7 2.14x
Belbroughton 7 116.47x
Gorton 7 7.07x
Hampstead London 7 5.06x
Sedgley 7 6.29x
Upton Warren 7 700.00x
Worcester All Sts 7 104.17x
Dalziel 6 19.43x
Hackney London 6 1.21x
High Offley 6 242.92x
Lewisham 6 3.72x
Little Lever 6 44.54x
Swansea Higher 6 37.27x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 6.10x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.90x
Great Malvern 5 20.67x
Heckmondwike 5 17.67x
Kings Norton 5 4.81x
Leigh 5 35.54x
Staines 5 35.56x
Stretford 5 8.63x
Walsall Borough 5 21.50x
Wednesfield 5 11.34x
Brewood 4 46.30x
Brockton 4 588.24x
Chelsea London 4 1.50x
Clent 4 131.58x
Cleobury Mortimer 4 82.82x
Dawley 4 14.33x
Falmouth 4 11.25x
Gloucester Barton St 4 39.22x
Kinver 4 46.30x
Wollescote 4 42.83x
Bedminster 3 2.23x
Blackfordby 3 95.54x
Cameley 3 187.50x
Croydon 3 1.25x
Diddlebury 3 118.58x
Dundee 3 0.98x
Greet 3 1034.48x
Heaton Norris 3 5.00x
Oldbury 3 5.26x
Wigan 3 2.04x
Willenhall 3 5.35x
Wollaston 3 40.82x
Worcester St Nicholas 3 54.64x
Worthen 3 36.81x
Shifnal 2 9.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 46
George 39
Thomas 31
Henry 20
James 20
Joseph 20
Alfred 17
Charles 14
Arthur 11
Harry 11
Walter 11
Edward 10
Richard 9
Benjamin 7
Samuel 7
Edwin 6
Frederick 6
Frank 4
Andrew 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Isaac 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Willm 3
Abraham 2
Amos 2
Benj. 2
Bertram 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Hezekiah 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Jessie 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Chas 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederk. 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Jessee 1
Josh. 1

FAQ

Perrins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perrins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 918 people were recorded with the Perrins surname. That placed it at #4,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perrins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016. That gives Perrins a modern rank of #4,968.

What does the Perrins surname mean?

A surname derived from a French place name referring to someone originating from that location.

What does the Perrins map show?

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