NameCensus.

UK surname

Perris

A surname derived from the French place name Perriers, referring to someone from that location.

In the 1881 census there were 392 people recorded with the Perris surname, ranking it #8,080 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 436, ranked #11,062, down from #8,080 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Newbury and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basingstoke and Deane, West Berkshire and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perris is 534 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.2%.

1881 census count

392

Ranked #8,080

Modern count

436

2016, ranked #11,062

Peak year

1999

534 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perris had 392 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,080 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016, ranked #11,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 517 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Perris surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perris surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perris 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 228 #9,418
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 392 #8,080
1891 historical 435 #8,279
1901 historical 459 #8,577
1911 historical 517 #7,634
1997 modern 526 #8,963
1998 modern 533 #9,135
1999 modern 534 #9,184
2000 modern 493 #9,736
2001 modern 461 #10,049
2002 modern 486 #9,833
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 468 #10,005
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 457 #10,127
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 446 #10,501
2009 modern 446 #10,755
2010 modern 447 #10,966
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 435 #10,959
2013 modern 453 #10,774
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 446 #10,898
2016 modern 436 #11,062

Geography

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Where Perris' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Newbury, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Welford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basingstoke and Deane, West Berkshire, Kensington and Chelsea and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Newbury Berkshire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Welford Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
2 West Berkshire 012 West Berkshire
3 Kensington and Chelsea 015 Kensington and Chelsea
4 West Berkshire 020 West Berkshire
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 019 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perris

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perris

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Perris surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Perris household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Perris 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

Perris is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perris falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Perris

The surname Perris originated from the Occitan language spoken in parts of southern France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Occitan word "peirer," meaning a stonecutter or mason. The earliest known bearers of this surname were likely employed in the skilled trade of working with stone, either in quarries or as masons constructing buildings.

During the 13th century, the surname Perris first appeared in records from the region of Languedoc in southern France. One of the earliest recorded instances was in 1268, when a mason named Guilhem Perris was mentioned in a document from the town of Nîmes. The name was often spelled "Peyres" or "Peyriers" in these ancient records.

In the 14th century, the Perris surname spread to other parts of France, as well as into neighboring regions like Catalonia in Spain. The name was also found in medieval manuscripts from the Auvergne region, suggesting a stonemason named Perris may have worked on the construction of local churches or castles.

One notable bearer of the Perris name was Jean Perris, a stonemason from the village of Montpellier, who was born around 1420. He is recorded as having worked on the construction of the Château de Montferrand in the 1450s, which still stands today as an impressive example of medieval architecture.

Another historical figure was Pierre Perris, a master mason born in 1512 in the town of Avignon. He was commissioned to work on the construction of the iconic Palais des Papes, one of the largest and most important Gothic buildings in Europe. His skilled craftsmanship can still be seen in the intricate stonework of the palace.

In the 16th century, the surname Perris began appearing in records from the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Catalonia and parts of southern France that were then under Spanish rule. One notable Catalan bearer of the name was Jaume Perris, born in 1564, who was a skilled stonemason and sculptor known for his work on various churches and cathedrals in Barcelona and surrounding areas.

As the centuries passed, the Perris name continued to be associated with the stonemason trade, but its bearers also ventured into other professions and spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. However, the surname's roots can be traced back to the skilled masons and stonecutters of medieval southern France who bore this distinctive name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perris families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perris 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. Lancashire leads with 60 Perris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 60 1.33x
Dorset 58 23.17x
Berkshire 49 17.11x
Middlesex 47 1.23x
Surrey 33 1.78x
Wiltshire 20 5.93x
Durham 17 1.50x
Glamorgan 16 2.41x
Somerset 14 2.28x
Hampshire 13 1.66x
Gloucestershire 12 1.60x
Cheshire 9 1.07x
Norfolk 7 1.19x
Yorkshire 7 0.19x
Denbighshire 6 4.16x
Devon 6 0.76x
Kent 4 0.31x
Staffordshire 4 0.31x
Warwickshire 4 0.42x
Herefordshire 2 1.28x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.43x
Essex 1 0.13x
Rutland 1 3.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Welford in Berkshire leads with 18 Perris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1463.41x.

Place Total Index
Welford 18 1463.41x
Liverpool 17 6.18x
Everton 14 9.71x
Leigh 13 2452.83x
Ystradyfodwg 13 22.31x
Shoreditch London 12 7.26x
West Derby 12 9.06x
Westoe 12 18.65x
Newbury 11 119.96x
Bromley London 10 11.92x
Wootton Glanville 10 3225.81x
Lambeth 9 2.71x
Liscard 9 59.33x
Speen 9 192.31x
Sutton Benger 9 1956.52x
Knights Enham 8 3809.52x
Rotherhithe 8 16.97x
Beddington 7 97.36x
Nether Hallam 7 13.69x
Norwich St George Colegate 7 328.64x
Gloucester St John Baptist 6 124.22x
Longburton 6 1224.49x
Minterne Magna 6 1395.35x
Salisbury St Edmund 6 110.91x
South Hamlet 6 129.59x
Wrexham Regis 6 56.07x
Boxford 5 675.68x
East Stonehouse 5 31.97x
Kensington London 5 2.36x
Little Bolton 5 8.59x
Birmingham 4 1.25x
Croydon 4 3.88x
Hungerford 4 103.36x
North Curry 4 191.39x
Sherborne 4 54.27x
South Shields 4 39.56x
West Bromwich 4 5.43x
Camberwell 3 1.23x
Cardiff St Mary 3 8.20x
Droylsden 3 20.31x
Fisherton Anger 3 48.08x
Hampreston 3 164.84x
Holnest 3 2307.69x
Pulham 3 857.14x
Spitalfields London 3 10.46x
Westminster St John 3 6.46x
Beer Crocombe 2 1111.11x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.21x
Buckland Newton 2 178.57x
Hackney London 2 0.94x
High Ham 2 136.99x
Holwell 2 370.37x
Islington London 2 0.54x
Manchester 2 0.98x
Melbury Osmond 2 392.16x
North Cadbury 2 169.49x
Rochester St Margaret 2 14.58x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.61x
St George In East 2 7.71x
Tilehurst 2 34.60x
Warrington 2 3.73x
Whitechapel London 2 5.32x
Caundle Bishop 1 227.27x
Chilbolton 1 222.22x
Chippenham 1 14.14x
Chiswick 1 4.80x
Ealing 1 2.93x
East Woodhay 1 50.00x
Halliwell 1 6.07x
Heaton Norris 1 3.88x
Holdenhurst 1 4.88x
Kirkdale 1 1.31x
Little Birch 1 270.27x
North Barrow 1 666.67x
Paddington London 1 0.71x
Petersfield 1 46.51x
Somerton 1 39.84x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.80x
West Ham 1 0.60x
Wotton Underwood 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 29
George 27
John 17
Charles 11
James 9
Thomas 9
Henry 8
Albert 7
Edward 7
Alfred 5
Robert 5
Frank 4
Fred 4
Richard 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Mark 3
Arthur 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Gabrial 1
Giles 1
Harold 1
Hater 1
Infant 1
Jas.W. 1
Jesse 1
Noah 1
Percival 1
Richd. 1
Shadrach 1
Simeon 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Perris surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perris surname in 1881?

In 1881, 392 people were recorded with the Perris surname. That placed it at #8,080 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perris surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016. That gives Perris a modern rank of #11,062.

What does the Perris surname mean?

A surname derived from the French place name Perriers, referring to someone from that location.

What does the Perris map show?

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