NameCensus.

UK surname

Perryman

An occupational surname referring to a pear orchard keeper or someone living near a pear tree.

In the 1881 census there were 1,087 people recorded with the Perryman surname, ranking it #3,661 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,702, ranked #3,668, down from #3,661 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, East Devon and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Perryman is 1,925 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.6%.

1881 census count

1,087

Ranked #3,661

Modern count

1,702

2016, ranked #3,668

Peak year

2000

1,925 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Perryman had 1,087 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,661 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,702 in 2016, ranked #3,668.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,548 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Perryman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Perryman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Perryman 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 592 #4,322
1861 historical 580 #4,544
1881 historical 1,087 #3,661
1891 historical 1,237 #3,490
1901 historical 1,436 #3,538
1911 historical 1,548 #3,132
1997 modern 1,859 #3,243
1998 modern 1,920 #3,261
1999 modern 1,913 #3,303
2000 modern 1,925 #3,270
2001 modern 1,897 #3,243
2002 modern 1,906 #3,304
2003 modern 1,839 #3,334
2004 modern 1,835 #3,338
2005 modern 1,786 #3,389
2006 modern 1,749 #3,462
2007 modern 1,754 #3,488
2008 modern 1,737 #3,538
2009 modern 1,787 #3,525
2010 modern 1,794 #3,580
2011 modern 1,782 #3,563
2012 modern 1,771 #3,524
2013 modern 1,788 #3,553
2014 modern 1,774 #3,586
2015 modern 1,725 #3,637
2016 modern 1,702 #3,668

Geography

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Where Perrymans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, East Devon, Knowsley, Cornwall and County Durham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
2 East Devon 008 East Devon
3 Knowsley 015 Knowsley
4 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
5 County Durham 004 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Perryman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Perryman

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Perryman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Perryman is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Perryman falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Perryman

The surname Perryman has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French words 'piere' meaning stone and 'homme' meaning man, referring to someone who worked as a stonemason or lived near a prominent stone structure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a William Perereman is mentioned. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, which lists a Robert Perreman.

The Perryman surname is closely linked to several place names in England, particularly those containing the element 'stone' or 'rock.' For instance, the village of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was once known as 'Perynnanhyve,' suggesting a connection to the surname.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes spelled as 'Perriman' or 'Peryman,' reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that era. One notable bearer of the name was John Perryman, a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, who lived from circa 1550 to 1620.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), a Captain Edward Perryman served in the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in several key battles, including the Siege of Reading in 1643.

In the 18th century, the Perryman family had a strong presence in the county of Somerset, where they owned several estates and manors. One member of this branch, William Perryman (1725-1795), was a renowned agriculturist and author of several treatises on farming practices.

Another notable figure was Sir John Perryman (1756-1831), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his services in 1815.

The Perryman surname also has a strong association with the United States, where many families of English descent bearing this name settled in the colonial era. One early American bearer was William Perryman (1688-1745), who emigrated from Gloucestershire and became a prominent landowner and community leader in Virginia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Perryman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Perryman 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. Middlesex leads with 281 Perrymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 281 2.67x
Devon 247 11.26x
Surrey 72 1.40x
Essex 64 3.08x
Gloucestershire 64 3.10x
Cornwall 51 4.28x
Kent 41 1.14x
Lancashire 35 0.28x
Hampshire 34 1.57x
Yorkshire 26 0.25x
Warwickshire 21 0.79x
Buckinghamshire 20 3.14x
Glamorgan 19 1.04x
Sussex 19 1.07x
Suffolk 14 1.09x
Durham 12 0.38x
Dorset 11 1.59x
Somerset 10 0.59x
Hertfordshire 8 1.10x
Berkshire 6 0.76x
Monmouthshire 6 0.79x
Anglesey 5 2.68x
Norfolk 5 0.31x
Lanarkshire 2 0.06x
Channel Islands 1 0.32x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 0.80x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 34 Perrymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.01x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 34 4.01x
Branscombe 25 833.33x
Mile End Old Town 23 13.83x
Tottenham 23 13.71x
Braunton 21 282.26x
Hillingdon 21 62.52x
Bethnal Green London 20 4.37x
Camberwell 19 2.82x
Lambeth 19 2.07x
Chelsea London 17 5.36x
Alverstoke 15 19.19x
Islington London 15 1.47x
St Austell 15 36.79x
Marshfield 14 253.62x
Portsea 14 3.31x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 6.68x
St Giles In The Wood 13 397.55x
St Marylebone London 13 2.31x
Tormoham 13 14.01x
Kensington London 12 2.05x
Reigate Foreign 12 21.59x
West Ham 12 2.61x
Aston 11 1.50x
Battersea 11 2.84x
Bristol St George 11 11.51x
Chagford 11 209.52x
Highweek 11 140.67x
Bovey Tracey 10 130.38x
Bradwell 10 280.90x
East Ogwell 10 1041.67x
Filey 10 118.62x
Bow London 8 5.96x
Bradninch 8 129.45x
Holy Trinity Less 8 353.98x
Lamberhurst 8 178.57x
Veryan 8 173.16x
Welwyn 8 127.19x
Axminster 7 68.09x
Brenchley 7 54.43x
Brixham 7 27.55x
Felstead 7 98.18x
Gorran 7 208.96x
Maidstone 7 6.54x
Paddington London 7 1.81x
Salcombe Regis 7 339.81x
Stoke Poges 7 90.09x
Walthamstow 7 9.35x
Wolborough 7 25.25x
Wombwell 7 23.00x
Bedwellty 6 4.46x
Bideford 6 25.54x
Bristol St Michael 6 33.88x
Bury 6 4.20x
Eastbourne 6 7.34x
Exeter St Thomas The 6 26.85x
Hartlepool 6 13.47x
Hayes 6 55.81x
Ilsington 6 156.66x
Kelloe 6 177.51x
Little Bealings 6 705.88x
Little Clacton 6 271.49x
Llanwonno 6 9.10x
Shoreditch London 6 1.31x
Sidmouth 6 47.81x
Sutton Coldfield 6 21.48x
Upton Cum Chalvey 6 23.64x
Amlwch 5 28.46x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 7.26x
Bromley 5 9.13x
Colchester St Botolph 5 28.26x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 9.96x
Godmanstone 5 833.33x
Morthoe 5 322.58x
Plymouth Charles The 5 5.18x
Rose Ash 5 273.22x
St Mewan 5 136.24x
Stanwell 5 64.10x
Swansea Town 5 3.32x
Uxbridge 5 41.53x
West Derby 5 1.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 81
John 56
James 48
George 46
Charles 32
Henry 28
Thomas 25
Richard 17
Robert 15
Alfred 14
Edward 13
Joseph 11
Samuel 10
Walter 10
Frederick 9
Arthur 8
Frank 8
Albert 5
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Harry 5
Herbert 4
Wm. 4
Benjamin 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Sydney 3
Tom 3
Fred 2
Giles 2
Isaac 2
Michael 2
Silas 2
Thos. 2
Barnabas 1
Charley 1
Chas.Henry 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Enoch 1
Ephraim 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Heny.Wm. 1
Jas. 1
Jerrimah 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Woolsten 1

FAQ

Perryman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Perryman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,087 people were recorded with the Perryman surname. That placed it at #3,661 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Perryman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,702 in 2016. That gives Perryman a modern rank of #3,668.

What does the Perryman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a pear orchard keeper or someone living near a pear tree.

What does the Perryman map show?

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