NameCensus.

UK surname

Perrow

A locative surname referring to someone living near a perry tree or orchard.

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Perrow surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Keverne and Calverley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Torbay and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perrow is 221 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.2%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

1901

221 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perrow had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Perrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perrow 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 154 #20,780
1998 modern 154 #21,316
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 153 #21,197
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 163 #20,554
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 174 #20,166
2008 modern 172 #20,523
2009 modern 168 #21,290
2010 modern 166 #21,941
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 146 #23,681
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 145 #24,395
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Perrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Keverne, Calverley, Truro St Mary and Gluvias. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Torbay, Cornwall, Dover and Strutherhill. 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 St Keverne Cornwall
3 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Truro St Mary Cornwall
5 Gluvias Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 046 Bradford
2 Torbay 004 Torbay
3 Cornwall 044 Cornwall
4 Dover 014 Dover
5 Strutherhill South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perrow

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Perrow is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Perrow is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perrow falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Perrow

The surname Perrow is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "pera," which means pear, and the word "hoh," meaning a ridge or spur of land, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a pear orchard on a ridge.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Perrow can be traced back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, where it appears as "Perho." This suggests that the name has its roots in the medieval period and has evolved over time through various spellings such as Perowe, Perrow, and Perro.

In the 16th century, the name Perrow can be found in the parish records of Maulden, Bedfordshire, where a John Perrow was recorded as a resident in 1563. Another notable early bearer of the name was Thomas Perrow, who was born in 1570 in Maulden and served as a parish clerk.

The Perrow surname has also been connected to the village of Perrott's Brook in Bedfordshire, which was once known as Perrow's Brook. This suggests that the name may have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near this particular brook.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Perrow surname. One such person was John Perrow (1609-1670), an English Puritan clergyman who served as the minister of St. Olave's Church in London during the 17th century. Another notable bearer of the name was William Perrow (1753-1835), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of Landguard Fort in Suffolk.

In more recent times, the Perrow surname has been associated with Sir Robert Perrow (1888-1973), a British businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Louth from 1931 to 1945. Additionally, Walter Perrow (1905-1981) was a British actor who appeared in several films and television shows throughout the mid-20th century.

Overall, the surname Perrow has a long and rich history, with its origins dating back to medieval England and connections to various places and notable individuals over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perrow 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. Cornwall leads with 69 Perrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.28x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 69 45.28x
Yorkshire 12 0.90x
Devon 10 3.57x
Kent 9 1.96x
Lanarkshire 8 1.84x
Cumberland 7 6.04x
Lancashire 7 0.44x
Glamorgan 6 2.56x
Warwickshire 5 1.47x
Surrey 3 0.46x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.84x
Hertfordshire 1 1.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Just In Penwith in Cornwall leads with 32 Perrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1081.08x.

Place Total Index
St Just In Penwith 32 1081.08x
St Keverne 13 1547.62x
Idle 10 161.55x
Dalserf 8 184.33x
Coedfrank 6 370.37x
Egremont 6 217.39x
Greenwich 6 28.00x
Birmingham 5 4.42x
Dalton In Furness 5 81.04x
Madron Penzance 5 90.25x
St Austell 5 95.97x
Cornworthy 4 2105.26x
Tormoham 4 33.73x
Truro St Mary 4 312.50x
Chertsey 3 70.75x
St Gluvias Penryn 3 245.90x
Deptford St Paul 2 5.64x
Kenwyn 2 50.13x
Ulverston 2 43.01x
Constantine 1 112.36x
Gwennap 1 34.84x
Lewisham 1 4.08x
Llandudno 1 51.55x
Manaccan 1 588.24x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 42.19x
Redruth 1 23.20x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 27.70x
St Bees 1 185.19x
St Clement 1 62.89x
Stokefleming 1 285.71x
Totnes 1 60.98x
Tring 1 40.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 7
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Rosina 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizh.M. 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethelinda 1
Eviline 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1
Helena 1
Janney 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marth 1
Minnie 1
Phillis 1
Sophia 1
Trefina 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 10
James 4
Isaac 3
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Fredrick 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Frederick 1
Gabriel 1
George 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Mike 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H.F. 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Perrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Perrow surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Perrow a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Perrow surname mean?

A locative surname referring to someone living near a perry tree or orchard.

What does the Perrow map show?

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