NameCensus.

UK surname

Purdue

Derived from the Old French place name "Pur-dû," meaning "pure or deep ford."

In the 1881 census there were 309 people recorded with the Purdue surname, ranking it #9,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 456, ranked #10,705, down from #9,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newbury, Basingstoke, Basing, Eastrop, Newnham, Nately Scures, Up Nately, Andwell and Overton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, North Somerset and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purdue is 526 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.6%.

1881 census count

309

Ranked #9,517

Modern count

456

2016, ranked #10,705

Peak year

1999

526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purdue had 309 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016, ranked #10,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 461 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Purdue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purdue surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Purdue 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 235 #9,206
1861 historical 163 #14,242
1881 historical 309 #9,517
1891 historical 296 #11,215
1901 historical 401 #9,472
1911 historical 461 #8,344
1997 modern 495 #9,370
1998 modern 523 #9,276
1999 modern 526 #9,295
2000 modern 515 #9,408
2001 modern 502 #9,440
2002 modern 479 #9,954
2003 modern 483 #9,735
2004 modern 470 #9,958
2005 modern 462 #10,000
2006 modern 461 #10,054
2007 modern 473 #9,965
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 481 #10,148
2010 modern 480 #10,353
2011 modern 471 #10,418
2012 modern 468 #10,366
2013 modern 470 #10,478
2014 modern 481 #10,387
2015 modern 460 #10,652
2016 modern 456 #10,705

Geography

Back to top

Where Purdues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newbury, Basingstoke, Basing, Eastrop, Newnham, Nately Scures, Up Nately, Andwell, Overton, London parishes and Shepperton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Test Valley, North Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Newbury Berkshire
2 Basingstoke, Basing, Eastrop, Newnham, Nately Scures, Up Nately, Andwell Hampshire
3 Overton Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Shepperton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 008 Test Valley
2 North Somerset 010 North Somerset
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 029 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Basingstoke and Deane 014 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Basingstoke and Deane 020 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Purdue

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Purdue

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

Purdue is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Purdue 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 Purdue 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 Purdue, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Purdue

The surname Purdue is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word "pur" meaning "pure" and the Middle English word "deu" meaning "stream" or "water." The name is thought to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, possibly referring to a person living near a clear or pure stream.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Purdue dates back to the 13th century in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Records from the Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a person named Radulphus de Purde, indicating the surname's presence in medieval England.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Purde, Purdeu, and Purdewe. These variations reflect the evolution of the name's spelling over time. The earliest known bearer of the name Purdue was John Purdue, born around 1330 in Essex, England.

The Purdue surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Purdue Green in Hertfordshire and Purdue Farm in Cambridgeshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's development or could have been named after individuals bearing the Purdue name.

One notable historical figure with the surname Purdue was Sir Henry Purdue (1571-1638), an English nobleman and member of Parliament. He served as Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was John Purdue (1802-1876), an American industrialist and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the meat-packing industry and later established Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, through a generous donation in 1869.

Other notable individuals with the surname Purdue include Sir Thomas Purdue (1633-1701), an English politician and landowner, and William Purdue (1796-1861), a British engineer and inventor known for his contributions to steam engine design.

The surname Purdue has also been associated with several other historical figures, such as the English clergyman Richard Purdue (1698-1768), the American politician James Purdue (1792-1854), and the British artist Charles Purdue (1873-1945).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Purdue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purdue 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 91 Purdues recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 91 3.05x
Hampshire 61 9.97x
Berkshire 40 17.85x
Surrey 24 1.65x
Buckinghamshire 11 6.10x
Lancashire 11 0.31x
Yorkshire 11 0.37x
Northumberland 8 1.80x
Wiltshire 8 3.03x
Cheshire 7 1.06x
Renfrewshire 6 2.59x
Hertfordshire 5 2.43x
Kent 5 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.99x
Dorset 3 1.53x
Oxfordshire 3 1.63x
Fife 2 1.13x
Sussex 2 0.40x
Warwickshire 2 0.27x
Derbyshire 1 0.21x
Devon 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shepperton in Middlesex leads with 29 Purdues recorded in 1881 and an index of 2196.97x.

Place Total Index
Shepperton 29 2196.97x
Basingstoke 23 326.70x
Overton 19 1301.37x
Islington London 12 4.15x
Newbury 11 153.20x
St Luke London 11 22.98x
Wycombe 11 81.78x
Kingston On Thames 10 28.62x
Reading St Lawrence 10 208.77x
Everton 9 7.97x
Arncliffe 8 5333.33x
Doxford 8 8000.00x
Sunbury 7 194.99x
Tranmere 7 28.91x
Camberwell 6 3.15x
Port Glasgow 6 53.67x
Westminster St John 6 16.51x
Christchurch 5 37.68x
Figheldean 5 1063.83x
Lyndhurst 5 297.62x
Reading St Giles 5 22.75x
Chatham 4 14.28x
Earley 4 107.24x
East West Challow 4 689.66x
Nottingham St Mary 4 3.84x
St George Hanover 4 10.27x
Chelsea London 3 3.34x
Clapham 3 8.04x
Hackney London 3 1.79x
Hertford St John 3 97.72x
Leeds 3 1.80x
Poole St James 3 40.76x
Ryde 3 22.83x
Twickenham 3 23.44x
Witney 3 97.40x
Birmingham 2 0.80x
Bow London 2 5.26x
Carisbrooke 2 23.56x
Christ Church Newgate 2 143.88x
Greenham 2 178.57x
Kensington London 2 1.21x
Little Munden 2 416.67x
Pewsey 2 103.09x
Poplar London 2 3.55x
Reading St Mary 2 11.14x
Stoke 2 29.15x
Up Nately 2 1666.67x
Battersea 1 0.91x
Beckenham 1 7.51x
Bucklebury 1 85.47x
Burbage 1 74.07x
Chiddingly 1 109.89x
Cumnor 1 97.09x
Dunfermline 1 3.68x
Forgan 1 29.59x
Hampstead London 1 2.15x
Itchen Abbas 1 370.37x
Kirk Langley 1 144.93x
Kirkdale 1 1.68x
Layton With Warbreck 1 7.69x
Newington 1 0.91x
Paddington London 1 0.91x
Plympton St Mary 1 27.86x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.60x
St Marylebone London 1 0.63x
St Pancras London 1 0.42x
Walberton 1 158.73x
Whitchurch 1 51.55x
Woking 1 11.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 11
Eliza 9
Elizabeth 9
Annie 7
Jane 7
Emma 5
Martha 5
Sophia 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Maria 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
C. 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Elenor 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
F. 1
Florence 1
Florie 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Mabel 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 17
John 13
William 12
Henry 11
Thomas 10
Alfred 8
Charles 7
Arthur 6
Albert 5
Frederick 5
James 5
Edwin 4
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Chas. 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
A. 1
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Ernet 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
J. 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Simon 1
Willy 1

FAQ

Purdue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purdue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 309 people were recorded with the Purdue surname. That placed it at #9,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purdue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 456 in 2016. That gives Purdue a modern rank of #10,705.

What does the Purdue surname mean?

Derived from the Old French place name "Pur-dû," meaning "pure or deep ford."

What does the Purdue map show?

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