NameCensus.

UK surname

Purdie

A Scottish locational surname derived from the place name Purdie, meaning "pretty" in Old French.

In the 1881 census there were 1,268 people recorded with the Purdie surname, ranking it #3,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,826, ranked #3,471, down from #3,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, Lanark and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dalbeattie, Blackburn and Lomond Shore.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purdie is 1,826 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.0%.

1881 census count

1,268

Ranked #3,215

Modern count

1,826

2016, ranked #3,471

Peak year

2016

1,826 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purdie had 1,268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,826 in 2016, ranked #3,471.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,643 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Purdie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purdie surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Purdie 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 741 #3,555
1861 historical 854 #3,244
1881 historical 1,268 #3,215
1891 historical 1,388 #3,133
1901 historical 1,643 #3,138
1911 historical 360 #10,063
1997 modern 1,744 #3,420
1998 modern 1,770 #3,503
1999 modern 1,768 #3,533
2000 modern 1,770 #3,517
2001 modern 1,713 #3,551
2002 modern 1,782 #3,493
2003 modern 1,767 #3,448
2004 modern 1,787 #3,418
2005 modern 1,794 #3,376
2006 modern 1,791 #3,389
2007 modern 1,824 #3,362
2008 modern 1,802 #3,429
2009 modern 1,815 #3,478
2010 modern 1,823 #3,527
2011 modern 1,799 #3,536
2012 modern 1,769 #3,527
2013 modern 1,785 #3,558
2014 modern 1,820 #3,521
2015 modern 1,812 #3,506
2016 modern 1,826 #3,471

Geography

Back to top

Where Purdies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Cumnock, Lanark, Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dalbeattie, Blackburn, Lomond Shore, New Abbey and Leith (Hermitage and Prospect Bank). Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Old Cumnock Ayr
2 Lanark Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
2 Blackburn West Lothian
3 Lomond Shore Argyll and Bute
4 New Abbey Dumfries and Galloway
5 Leith (Hermitage and Prospect Bank) City of Edinburgh

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Purdie

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Purdie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Purdie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Purdie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Purdie 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

Purdie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Purdie 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 Purdie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Purdie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Purdie

The surname Purdie has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the place name Pardieu, a small village near Linlithgow, West Lothian. The name is thought to be a variant of the French phrase "par Dieu" meaning "by God" or "by Heaven".

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname can be found in the Scottish records from 1507, where a John Purdie is listed as a tenant in the village of Pardieu. The name appears to have been concentrated in the regions of West Lothian, Midlothian, and East Lothian during its early history.

The variant spelling "Pardew" was also used in some instances, reflecting the potential French influence on the name's origin. Another spelling variation, "Purdew," was found in the records of the Parish of Liberton near Edinburgh in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name began to spread more widely across Scotland, with families bearing the surname appearing in records from various regions, including Fife, Lanarkshire, and Aberdeenshire.

One notable individual with the Purdie surname was John Purdie (1773-1857), a Scottish gardener and plant collector who worked for the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. He was responsible for introducing several new plant species to Britain from his travels in North America.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Purdie (1842-1909), a Scottish businessman and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1900 to 1903.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Purdie family settled in Ireland, where the name is also found, particularly in County Down and County Antrim.

Other notable individuals with the Purdie surname include:

1. Robert Purdie (1810-1888), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

2. William Purdie (1784-1853), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

3. James Purdie (1840-1915), a Scottish-born Canadian journalist and editor who co-founded the Edmonton Bulletin newspaper in Alberta.

4. Alexander Purdie (1755-1818), a Scottish-born printer and publisher who established one of the earliest printing businesses in Charleston, South Carolina.

5. Thomas Purdie (1796-1865), a Scottish-born civil engineer who worked on various infrastructure projects in Canada, including the construction of the Rideau Canal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Purdie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purdie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 413 Purdies recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.57x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 413 10.57x
Midlothian 176 10.88x
Ayrshire 130 14.38x
Renfrewshire 83 8.87x
Middlesex 46 0.38x
Devon 33 1.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 31 17.73x
West Lothian 26 14.30x
Lancashire 23 0.16x
Peeblesshire 23 40.49x
Wigtownshire 22 13.72x
Durham 20 0.56x
Selkirkshire 18 16.47x
Kent 17 0.41x
Roxburghshire 17 7.77x
Surrey 17 0.29x
Northumberland 16 0.89x
Fife 14 1.96x
Dumfriesshire 13 4.87x
Cheshire 10 0.38x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Argyllshire 9 2.68x
Cumberland 8 0.77x
Dunbartonshire 8 2.47x
East Lothian 7 4.38x
Angus 6 0.54x
Stirlingshire 6 1.35x
Worcestershire 5 0.32x
Caithness 4 2.42x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.27x
Perthshire 3 0.55x
Buteshire 2 2.73x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Dorset 2 0.25x
Essex 2 0.08x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Warwickshire 2 0.07x
Berwickshire 1 0.68x
Inverness-shire 1 0.28x
Kincardineshire 1 0.68x
Kinross-shire 1 3.28x
Ross-shire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 0.69x
Suffolk 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 77 Purdies recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.83x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 77 11.83x
Govan 72 7.45x
Barony 59 5.97x
Glasgow 58 8.36x
Lanark 47 149.54x
Old Cumnock 27 134.19x
Ochiltree 21 337.62x
Carstairs 18 222.50x
Crossmichael 18 325.50x
Lasswade 18 48.66x
Abbey 17 11.90x
Carluke 17 47.94x
Mid Calder 17 242.51x
Covington 16 869.57x
Kilbirnie 16 73.73x
Deptford St Nicholas 15 45.87x
Hamilton 15 13.77x
Old Monkland 15 9.68x
Ayr 14 32.82x
Kensington London 14 2.09x
Whitburn 14 53.29x
Bothwell 13 12.27x
Kilbarchan 13 45.73x
Maryhill 13 17.00x
Ugborough 13 213.82x
Beith 12 44.49x
Inch 12 76.78x
Islington London 12 1.03x
West Calder 12 37.63x
Dunlop 11 195.04x
Neilston 11 23.41x
West Greenock 11 6.55x
West Linton 11 237.58x
Edinburgh Canongate 10 24.29x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 6.43x
Port Glasgow 10 22.10x
St Marylebone London 10 1.55x
Carmichael 9 278.64x
Carnwath 9 37.27x
Cowpen 9 21.75x
Heworth 9 12.71x
Paisley Low Church 9 30.37x
Uphall 9 45.00x
Cardross 8 20.53x
Dalziel 8 19.04x
Dunfermline 8 7.28x
Kelton 8 55.71x
Kirknewton East 8 118.34x
Libberton 8 308.88x
Middle Greenock 8 31.32x
Morton 8 90.40x
Penninghame 8 48.93x
Gorbals 7 30.20x
Liverpool 7 0.80x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 3.62x
Prestonpans 7 65.24x
South Leith 7 3.85x
St Boswells 7 176.32x
Yarrow 7 264.15x
Cambusnethan 6 6.92x
Dalry 6 14.11x
Lesmahagow 6 14.53x
Oxton 6 39.79x
Rusholme 6 15.70x
Sculcoates 6 3.16x
Selkirk 6 19.49x
Stoke Damerel 6 3.41x
Aberdour 5 69.44x
Coylton 5 39.00x
Dalserf 5 12.83x
Denny 5 21.11x
Duddingston 5 15.39x
Dunoon Kilmun 5 19.07x
Edinburgh New 5 39.78x
Edinburgh St Johns 5 48.97x
Ermington 5 54.70x
Jedburgh 5 23.32x
Walton On Thames 5 18.50x
Whitehaven 5 9.02x
Worcester St Peter 5 16.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 9
Jane 7
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Florence 5
Jessie 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Eliza 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
A.E. 1
Adelaide 1
Alice 1
Antionette 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clementina 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Dryden 1
Emma 1
Eunice 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harreitt 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Robina 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Tina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 17
John 12
William 12
Joseph 7
Robert 7
Walter 6
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
George 3
Albert 2
Cecil 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Henry 2
Alexandra 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Robert 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jas.J. 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Saml.A. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Waltor 1

FAQ

Purdie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purdie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,268 people were recorded with the Purdie surname. That placed it at #3,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purdie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,826 in 2016. That gives Purdie a modern rank of #3,471.

What does the Purdie surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from the place name Purdie, meaning "pretty" in Old French.

What does the Purdie map show?

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