NameCensus.

UK surname

Purdy

From an English surname meaning "pretty" or "attractive," derived from the Old French "purdie."

In the 1881 census there were 1,707 people recorded with the Purdy surname, ranking it #2,520 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,075, ranked #2,192, up from #2,520 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley, Broadland and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purdy is 3,161 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.1%.

1881 census count

1,707

Ranked #2,520

Modern count

3,075

2016, ranked #2,192

Peak year

2013

3,161 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purdy had 1,707 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,520 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,075 in 2016, ranked #2,192.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,618 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Purdy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purdy surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Purdy 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 1,025 #2,728
1861 historical 856 #3,233
1881 historical 1,707 #2,520
1891 historical 1,756 #2,598
1901 historical 2,313 #2,350
1911 historical 2,618 #1,962
1997 modern 2,997 #2,153
1998 modern 3,105 #2,164
1999 modern 3,154 #2,142
2000 modern 3,130 #2,150
2001 modern 3,087 #2,128
2002 modern 3,145 #2,137
2003 modern 3,081 #2,127
2004 modern 3,081 #2,135
2005 modern 3,012 #2,150
2006 modern 2,968 #2,182
2007 modern 2,976 #2,190
2008 modern 2,995 #2,193
2009 modern 3,072 #2,193
2010 modern 3,143 #2,199
2011 modern 3,132 #2,174
2012 modern 3,117 #2,148
2013 modern 3,161 #2,157
2014 modern 3,148 #2,180
2015 modern 3,091 #2,183
2016 modern 3,075 #2,192

Geography

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Where Purdys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley, Broadland, East Northamptonshire and Broxtowe. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 017 Amber Valley
2 Broadland 001 Broadland
3 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
4 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
5 Broxtowe 001 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Purdy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Purdy

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Purdy is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Purdy is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Purdy 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 Purdy 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Purdy

The surname Purdy originated in Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "purdi," which means "lost" or "wandering." This name was likely given to someone who was deemed a wanderer or someone who had become lost.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pordic." This reference suggests that the name had already been established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Purdi" and "Purday" in various English historical documents. During this time, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Purdy, who lived in the late 14th century and served as a member of Parliament for Staffordshire. Another early example is Thomas Purdy, born around 1450 in Leicestershire, who was a prominent landowner and farmer.

In the 16th century, the name's spelling evolved to its modern form, "Purdy." During this period, the name was associated with the village of Purdy Green in Staffordshire, which likely contributed to its widespread use in the area.

In the 17th century, the name gained recognition through the exploits of Captain Henry Purdy, a British naval officer who served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars. He was born in 1624 and played a significant role in several notable naval battles.

Another influential figure was Robert Purdy, born in 1678 in Warwickshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who made significant contributions to the local economy and infrastructure.

In the 18th century, the Purdy surname spread to other parts of the world, including North America, as a result of British colonization. One notable bearer of the name during this time was William Purdy, born in 1720 in Connecticut. He was a respected farmer and community leader who played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Purdy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purdy 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. Yorkshire leads with 218 Purdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.32x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 218 1.32x
Middlesex 209 1.25x
Norfolk 194 7.57x
Derbyshire 184 7.05x
Lancashire 177 0.90x
Durham 149 3.01x
Surrey 144 1.77x
Northumberland 138 5.57x
Kent 38 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 37 1.65x
Devon 31 0.89x
Essex 27 0.82x
Gloucestershire 25 0.77x
Sussex 24 0.85x
Cheshire 14 0.38x
Leicestershire 13 0.70x
Suffolk 13 0.64x
Somerset 12 0.45x
Warwickshire 8 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.66x
Renfrewshire 7 0.54x
Staffordshire 6 0.11x
Berkshire 5 0.40x
Royal Navy 4 2.01x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.30x
Cornwall 3 0.16x
Cumberland 3 0.21x
Dorset 3 0.27x
Hampshire 2 0.06x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Northamptonshire 2 0.13x
Worcestershire 2 0.09x
Banffshire 1 0.29x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Sutherland 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnes in Surrey leads with 52 Purdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 151.47x.

Place Total Index
Barnes 52 151.47x
Batley 39 24.86x
Islington London 37 2.29x
Leeds 36 3.86x
Hammersmith London 29 7.07x
Lambeth 28 1.93x
Bothal Demesne 26 219.22x
Wardleworth 26 23.01x
Great Yarmouth 25 11.78x
Alfreton 22 27.76x
Newchurch 22 13.60x
Morpeth 21 72.04x
Gateshead 19 5.12x
Heanor 19 48.71x
Little Walsingham 18 310.88x
Sheringham 17 257.58x
Long Eaton 16 46.47x
West Herrington 16 92.11x
Hulme 15 3.63x
Greasley 14 27.63x
Derby St Peter 13 15.65x
Eastwood 13 64.74x
Manchester 13 1.46x
Mile End Old Town 13 4.94x
Wallsend 13 16.54x
West Ham 13 1.79x
Hambledon 12 139.70x
Surlingham 12 433.21x
Hatfield In Thorne 11 106.80x
Salford 11 1.89x
St Pancras London 11 0.82x
Whittington 11 30.48x
Wingfield South 11 157.37x
Camberwell 10 0.94x
Hackney London 10 1.07x
Horton 10 81.63x
Pilkington 10 13.32x
Poplar London 10 3.18x
Shirland 10 51.26x
Ashborne 9 50.73x
Bermondsey 9 1.81x
Brighton 9 1.59x
Bromley London 9 2.46x
Castleton 9 4.56x
Claylane 9 24.82x
Foxley 9 720.00x
Guisbrough 9 24.94x
Nether Hallam 9 4.03x
Ockbrook 9 81.23x
Plymouth Charles The 9 5.89x
Tranwell High Church 9 1578.95x
Bishopwearmouth 8 1.88x
Broughton In Salford 8 4.43x
Derby St Werburgh 8 5.31x
Dewsbury 8 4.72x
Greenwich 8 3.02x
Hanworth 8 136.75x
Hove 8 6.49x
Kensington London 8 0.86x
Keston 8 189.13x
Pelton 8 33.93x
Stiffkey 8 322.58x
Sunderland 8 9.14x
Thorne 8 39.06x
Bethnal Green London 7 0.97x
Cavendish 7 106.87x
Cawston 7 111.64x
Chelsea London 7 1.39x
Dawdon 7 11.48x
Eastwood 7 8.80x
Happisburgh 7 218.75x
Heigham 7 5.09x
Hetton Le Hole 7 11.14x
Littleport 7 34.72x
Minster In Sheppey 7 7.43x
Ripley 7 21.71x
St Giles In Fields 7 12.18x
Staveley 7 15.12x
Stoke Damerel 7 2.88x
Tranmere 7 5.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 128
Elizabeth 67
Sarah 54
Jane 42
Margaret 34
Eliza 28
Ann 24
Ellen 24
Alice 23
Emily 23
Annie 22
Hannah 22
Martha 19
Susan 17
Emma 15
Isabella 15
Charlotte 12
Clara 11
Fanny 10
Ada 9
Agnes 9
Edith 9
Kate 7
Louisa 7
Lucy 7
Maria 7
Amelia 6
Esther 6
Matilda 6
Minnie 6
Susannah 6
Harriet 5
Jessie 5
Lydia 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Eleanor 4
Harriett 4
Julia 4
Rachel 4
Rose 4
Sophia 4
Anna 3
Elizth. 3
Mabel 3
Margret 3
Nellie 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 115
John 104
Thomas 77
George 70
James 55
Robert 46
Charles 30
Henry 30
Joseph 26
Edward 18
Alfred 17
Richard 16
Arthur 15
Samuel 13
Benjamin 10
Frederick 10
Frank 8
Harry 7
Ernest 6
Francis 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Edwin 3
Fredrick 3
Leonard 3
Stephen 3
Abraham 2
Andrew 2
Beresford 2
Clark 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Isbez 2
Jacob 2
Nathaniel 2
Percival 2
Robt. 2
Seth 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Wm. 2
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Purdy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purdy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,707 people were recorded with the Purdy surname. That placed it at #2,520 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purdy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,075 in 2016. That gives Purdy a modern rank of #2,192.

What does the Purdy surname mean?

From an English surname meaning "pretty" or "attractive," derived from the Old French "purdie."

What does the Purdy map show?

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