NameCensus.

UK surname

Purchase

A surname derived from an ancestor's occupation as a purchaser or buyer.

In the 1881 census there were 1,025 people recorded with the Purchase surname, ranking it #3,827 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,698, ranked #3,676, up from #3,827 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, South Somerset and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purchase is 1,775 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.7%.

1881 census count

1,025

Ranked #3,827

Modern count

1,698

2016, ranked #3,676

Peak year

2010

1,775 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purchase had 1,025 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,827 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,698 in 2016, ranked #3,676.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,446 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Purchase surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purchase surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Purchase 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 650 #4,003
1861 historical 588 #4,497
1881 historical 1,025 #3,827
1891 historical 1,063 #3,946
1901 historical 1,370 #3,669
1911 historical 1,446 #3,341
1997 modern 1,632 #3,632
1998 modern 1,675 #3,679
1999 modern 1,707 #3,646
2000 modern 1,719 #3,605
2001 modern 1,679 #3,615
2002 modern 1,729 #3,604
2003 modern 1,683 #3,609
2004 modern 1,665 #3,647
2005 modern 1,653 #3,633
2006 modern 1,684 #3,574
2007 modern 1,694 #3,582
2008 modern 1,699 #3,603
2009 modern 1,753 #3,580
2010 modern 1,775 #3,603
2011 modern 1,756 #3,595
2012 modern 1,694 #3,658
2013 modern 1,761 #3,590
2014 modern 1,755 #3,611
2015 modern 1,727 #3,635
2016 modern 1,698 #3,676

Geography

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Where Purchases are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Walsall 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 Neath Port Talbot, South Somerset, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 015 Neath Port Talbot
2 South Somerset 004 South Somerset
3 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
4 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
5 South Somerset 014 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Purchase

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Purchase

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Purchase 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

Purchase is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Purchase falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Purchase

The surname Purchase is of English origin, derived from the Old Norman French word "purchacer," meaning "to acquire" or "to obtain." It first emerged in the 12th century, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, where many of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found. It was initially an occupational name, given to individuals who worked as purchasers or procurers of goods and supplies.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Purchase can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Radulfus Purchase. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a William Purchase in Oxfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Purchas, Purchace, and Purchesse, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable bearer of the Purchase surname was Samuel Purchase (1577-1628), an English navigator and explorer who participated in several voyages to the East Indies and wrote accounts of his travels.

In the 17th century, John Purchase (1613-1670) was a prominent English Puritan minister and author, known for his influential works on theology and religious doctrine.

Another individual of note was Thomas Purchase (1736-1808), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bridgwater from 1768 to 1774.

The surname Purchase has also been associated with various place names, such as Purchase Farm in Somerset and Purchase Knoll in Devon, both of which may have derived their names from early bearers of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable families have carried the Purchase surname, including the Purchases of Somerset, who were landed gentry and held estates in the region for generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Purchase families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purchase 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. Somerset leads with 182 Purchases recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.28x.

County Total Index
Somerset 182 11.28x
Middlesex 129 1.29x
Staffordshire 116 3.43x
Hampshire 108 5.25x
Dorset 106 16.11x
Surrey 66 1.35x
Sussex 46 2.72x
Devon 42 2.01x
Warwickshire 29 1.15x
Kent 25 0.73x
Monmouthshire 25 3.45x
Gloucestershire 22 1.12x
Lancashire 16 0.13x
Herefordshire 15 3.65x
Glamorgan 11 0.63x
Worcestershire 11 0.84x
Berkshire 9 1.20x
Channel Islands 9 3.03x
Yorkshire 9 0.09x
Shropshire 8 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.44x
Northumberland 5 0.34x
Hertfordshire 4 0.58x
Oxfordshire 4 0.65x
Wiltshire 4 0.45x
Cheshire 3 0.14x
Norfolk 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 2.51x
Essex 2 0.10x
Bedfordshire 1 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.12x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 47 Purchases recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.88x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 47 26.88x
Hardington Mandeville 42 1935.48x
Yeovil 25 76.22x
Wolverhampton 23 8.84x
Christchurch 21 47.12x
Tipton 21 20.26x
Westminster St 18 48.69x
Islington London 17 1.75x
St Pancras London 15 1.86x
Bere Regis 14 317.46x
Birmingham 14 1.66x
Portsea 14 3.48x
Trevethin 14 20.45x
Haselbury Plucknett 13 640.39x
Aston 12 1.72x
Chelsea London 12 3.97x
Lambeth 12 1.37x
Sherborne 12 61.92x
Battersea 11 2.98x
Brompton Regis 11 625.00x
Hammersmith London 11 4.45x
Hawkley 11 1057.69x
Kinson 11 85.54x
South Stoneham 11 24.67x
Taunton St James 11 46.73x
Barnstaple 10 30.53x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 5.40x
Caton 10 268.10x
Sidmouth 10 83.68x
Subdeanary 10 220.26x
West Coker 10 304.88x
Preston Plucknett 9 1153.85x
Westbury On Trym 9 13.51x
Chichester All Sts 8 707.96x
Drayton 8 551.72x
Lyncombe Widcombe 8 18.93x
St George Hanover 8 6.11x
Stourbridge 8 23.75x
Weymouth 8 64.15x
Bodenham 7 231.79x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 7 71.28x
Kington 7 68.76x
Lasham 7 1014.49x
Llandaff 7 12.05x
Medstead 7 404.62x
Mile End Old Town 7 4.42x
Newhaven 7 50.98x
Northmolton 7 560.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.47x
Tottenham 7 4.38x
Wakefield 7 9.18x
Willenhall 7 11.04x
Chichester St Andrew 6 340.91x
Clapham 6 4.79x
Deptford St Paul 6 2.27x
Ogley Hay 6 85.35x
Puddletown 6 148.88x
Rotherhithe 6 4.84x
Southampton St Mary 6 4.64x
St Anne 6 112.99x
St Woollos 6 7.42x
Swyre 6 821.92x
Arnold 5 25.34x
Barwick 5 308.64x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.15x
Bicton 5 925.93x
Camberwell 5 0.78x
Clifton Maybank 5 1851.85x
East Coker 5 141.64x
Kingswinford 5 4.07x
Longbenton 5 7.91x
Melcombe Regis 5 18.33x
Romsey Infra 5 71.84x
Wimborne 5 62.81x
Woolwich 5 3.96x
Gillingham 4 5.67x
Lymington 4 26.47x
Reading St Giles 4 5.42x
St Peter Colebrook 4 138.41x
Swindon 4 5.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 36
Alice 23
Eliza 23
Jane 20
Ellen 19
Emma 19
Sarah 19
Ann 16
Annie 15
Emily 11
Louisa 11
Edith 10
Harriet 10
Ada 8
Anne 8
Florence 8
Martha 8
Fanny 6
Matilda 6
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Maria 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Rosa 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Lydia 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Bertha 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Lousia 2
Marion 2
Maryann 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 56
Henry 35
George 31
Charles 25
Thomas 25
James 20
Edward 15
Arthur 14
Joseph 14
Albert 13
Frederick 11
Harry 11
Richard 10
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Frank 9
Robert 9
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Samuel 5
Stephen 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Emanuel 3
Francis 3
Mark 3
Philip 3
Sydney 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Ed. 2
Howard 2
Isaac 2
Jeremiah 2
Levi 2
Owen 2
Robt. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Arold 1
Claud 1
Douglas 1
Egbert 1
Eli 1
Eliza 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Isaiah 1
Jim 1

FAQ

Purchase surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purchase surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,025 people were recorded with the Purchase surname. That placed it at #3,827 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purchase surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,698 in 2016. That gives Purchase a modern rank of #3,676.

What does the Purchase surname mean?

A surname derived from an ancestor's occupation as a purchaser or buyer.

What does the Purchase map show?

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