UK surname
An occupational surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "parviss," meaning a church porch or enclosure.
In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Pervis surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #29,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Holwell and Backshaw, Glossop and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pervis is 107 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.0%.
1881 census count
32
Ranked #29,082
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1861
107 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pervis surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pervis surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 30 | #27,891 |
| 1861 | historical | 107 | #20,008 |
| 1881 | historical | 32 | #29,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 43 | #30,933 |
| 1901 | historical | 32 | #30,501 |
| 1911 | historical | 19 | #31,416 |
| 1997 | modern | 5 | #37,891 |
| 1998 | modern | 5 | #37,861 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 11 | #37,270 |
| 2009 | modern | 17 | #36,753 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 11 | #37,397 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 12 | #37,342 |
| 2014 | modern | 12 | #37,355 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Holwell and Backshaw, Glossop, Portsmouth, Portsea, Liverpool and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holwell and Backshaw | Dorset |
| 2 | Glossop | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | St Matthew Bethnal Green | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pervis surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pervis, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Pervis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pervis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Pervis is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pervis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pervis, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname PERVIS originated in France during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "pervis" or "perveis," which referred to a person who was perverse, obstinate, or wicked. These words traced their roots back to the Latin word "perversus," meaning "turned away" or "distorted."
One of the earliest documented instances of the surname PERVIS can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Robertus Pervis in the county of Lincolnshire.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and charters across Normandy and other regions of northern France. One notable example is a charter from 1267, which mentions a knight named Jehan Pervis participating in a tournament held in the town of Rouen.
During the 14th century, the PERVIS surname began to spread across different parts of Europe. In 1312, a merchant named Pietro Pervis was recorded as a resident of Venice, Italy. Around the same time, a cleric named Wilhelm Pervis was documented as serving in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor.
Over the centuries, the PERVIS surname has been associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest was Jacques Pervis, a French philosopher and theologian born in 1435 who wrote extensively on the works of Thomas Aquinas. Another was Sir Robert Pervis, an English military commander who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.
In the 16th century, a Dutch sea captain named Hans Pervis gained fame for his voyages to the East Indies and his explorations of the Spice Islands. A century later, an English poet named William Pervis (1638-1713) published a collection of verse that received critical acclaim during his lifetime.
Other notable individuals with the PERVIS surname include Marie-Antoinette Pervis (1756-1793), a French aristocrat and courtier who was a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette, and Charles Pervis (1832-1901), a British industrialist who pioneered the use of new manufacturing techniques in the textile industry.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pervis surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 9 Pervis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.80x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 9 | 2.80x |
| Hampshire | 8 | 12.13x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 7.37x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 1.92x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.63x |
| Durham | 1 | 1.05x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 1.59x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.91x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 26.11x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 8 Pervis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.92x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Portsea | 8 | 61.92x |
| Rowley Regis | 5 | 165.02x |
| Hackney London | 4 | 22.19x |
| St Luke London | 4 | 77.52x |
| Eccleshall | 2 | 487.80x |
| Glasgow | 2 | 10.83x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 1 | 12.18x |
| Cirencester | 1 | 117.65x |
| Cold Kirby | 1 | 5000.00x |
| Dover St Mary Virgin | 1 | 94.34x |
| Leeds | 1 | 5.56x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 30.49x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 23.81x |
| Walsall Foreign | 1 | 17.83x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pervis surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Pervis surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Pervis households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 7 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Clk Guildhall (Other Local) | 1 |
| Coal Agents Clerk | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Fish Dealer | 1 |
| Formerly Cook | 1 |
| Groom (Nd) | 1 |
| Groom Dom | 1 |
| Jockey | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Mariner (Merchant Service) | 1 |
| Nailer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Pervis surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Pervis a modern rank of #36,998.
An occupational surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "parviss," meaning a church porch or enclosure.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pervis bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.