NameCensus.

UK surname

Purse

An English surname derived from an Old French word meaning a small bag for carrying money.

In the 1881 census there were 327 people recorded with the Purse surname, ranking it #9,147 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 461, ranked #10,625, down from #9,147 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fareham, Sheffield and Ashill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purse is 520 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.0%.

1881 census count

327

Ranked #9,147

Modern count

461

2016, ranked #10,625

Peak year

2000

520 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purse had 327 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,147 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016, ranked #10,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 458 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Purse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Purse 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 245 #10,057
1881 historical 327 #9,147
1891 historical 429 #8,359
1901 historical 404 #9,426
1911 historical 458 #8,376
1997 modern 488 #9,470
1998 modern 488 #9,780
1999 modern 504 #9,606
2000 modern 520 #9,339
2001 modern 487 #9,656
2002 modern 496 #9,697
2003 modern 500 #9,481
2004 modern 504 #9,468
2005 modern 487 #9,621
2006 modern 483 #9,722
2007 modern 485 #9,780
2008 modern 487 #9,840
2009 modern 494 #9,953
2010 modern 493 #10,161
2011 modern 484 #10,194
2012 modern 470 #10,332
2013 modern 485 #10,267
2014 modern 483 #10,354
2015 modern 468 #10,518
2016 modern 461 #10,625

Geography

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Where Purses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fareham, Sheffield, Ashill, Bishop Wearmouth and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Fenland and Cardiff. 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 Fareham Hampshire
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Ashill Norfolk
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 006 Winchester
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 015 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Fenland 009 Fenland
4 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
5 Fenland 005 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Purse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Purse

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Purse is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Purse 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

Purse falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Purse

The surname "Purse" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th century. It is thought to be an occupational name for a maker or seller of small bags or pouches used for carrying money, known as "purses" in Middle English.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Purse can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record of landholders in England compiled in the late 13th century. This document mentions a William le Purser from Cambridgeshire, indicating the use of the name as an occupational descriptor.

The name Purse may have derived from the Old French word "borse," which came from the Late Latin "bursa," ultimately tracing its roots back to the Greek word "byrsa" meaning "hide" or "leather." This suggests that the original Purse ancestors were likely involved in the crafting of leather goods, particularly small pouches or bags for carrying coins.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Purse was concentrated primarily in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in East Anglia. It is believed that the name may have originated in this region, where the trade of leatherworking and purse-making was prevalent.

One notable early bearer of the surname Purse was Sir William Purse, a 14th-century English knight who served as the Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1384. He was also a Member of Parliament for Norfolk in 1383 and 1384.

Another prominent individual with the surname Purse was John Purse, who lived in the late 15th century and served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1479 and 1488. His name appears in various historical records and documents related to the city of Norwich during that time period.

In the 16th century, the surname Purse was also found in the parish records of St. Olave's Church in Southwark, London, where several individuals with this name were recorded as being buried or having their children baptized.

The Purse surname continued to be present in various parts of England throughout the subsequent centuries, with notable bearers including Richard Purse (1610-1691), a prominent English Puritan clergyman and author, and John Purse (1736-1822), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

While the name Purse has persisted over the centuries, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to some other English surnames. Nevertheless, it holds a rich history rooted in the medieval trade of leatherworking and the crafting of small pouches or purses for carrying coins and valuables.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Purse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purse 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. Hampshire leads with 76 Purses recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.52x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 76 11.52x
Devon 74 11.04x
Norfolk 35 7.07x
Lanarkshire 23 2.21x
Middlesex 22 0.68x
Lancashire 20 0.52x
Durham 16 1.67x
Kent 14 1.27x
Yorkshire 12 0.38x
Surrey 10 0.64x
Dunbartonshire 7 8.09x
Dorset 4 1.89x
Somerset 4 0.77x
Channel Islands 2 2.10x
Gloucestershire 2 0.32x
Renfrewshire 2 0.80x
Wiltshire 2 0.70x
Ayrshire 1 0.42x
Berkshire 1 0.41x
Cornwall 1 0.27x
Essex 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colyton in Devon leads with 55 Purses recorded in 1881 and an index of 2140.08x.

Place Total Index
Colyton 55 2140.08x
Portsea 20 15.47x
Lyndhurst 19 1049.72x
Ashill 16 2222.22x
Bishopwearmouth 14 17.03x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 9 30.28x
East Wretham 9 4736.84x
North Hayling 9 3000.00x
Blantyre 8 73.80x
Cambuslang 8 76.19x
Fareham 8 100.88x
Branscombe 7 760.87x
Islington London 7 2.24x
New Kilpatrick 7 85.05x
New Monkland 7 22.75x
Woolwich 7 17.25x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 9.89x
Everton 6 4.93x
Hornsey 6 14.74x
Bermondsey 5 5.22x
Shingham 5 6250.00x
Carisbrooke 4 43.67x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.72x
Havant 4 119.76x
Honiton 4 107.82x
Salford 4 3.56x
St Luke London 4 7.75x
Acton 3 15.90x
Chard 3 47.77x
Gillingham 3 13.25x
Hambledon 3 134.53x
Lambeth 3 1.07x
Spetisbury 3 517.24x
Wigan 3 5.62x
Wootton St Lawrence 3 272.73x
Bishopwearmouth Panns 2 1000.00x
Bristol St Paul In 2 11.89x
Didlington 2 2000.00x
Salcombe Regis 2 317.46x
South Stoneham 2 13.98x
St Pancras London 2 0.77x
St Peter Port 2 11.33x
Swaffham 2 49.63x
Abbey 1 2.63x
Axminster 1 31.85x
Camberwell 1 0.49x
Exeter St David 1 17.48x
Exminster 1 41.49x
Girvan 1 16.53x
Hinderwell 1 36.76x
Hinton St Mary 1 303.03x
Liddiard Tregooze 1 136.99x
Little Ilford 1 90.91x
Lympston 1 83.33x
Normanby In 1 11.72x
North Leigh 1 370.37x
Reading St Giles 1 4.22x
Rotherhithe 1 2.51x
Royal Navy 1 3.05x
Seaton 1 38.76x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 11.59x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.41x
Sporle With Palgrave 1 125.00x
St Columb Minor 1 32.68x
Titchfield 1 20.12x
Warblington 1 38.17x
Wayford 1 400.00x
West Derby 1 0.89x
West Greenock 1 2.23x
Wonston 1 129.87x
Wootton Bassett 1 40.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 9
Alice 7
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Ann 4
Annie 3
Elizth. 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Agness 1
Anna 1
Annette 1
Bessie 1
Bessy 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Ellea 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Hellen 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Marry 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rebekah 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Sally 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 17
George 13
James 11
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Frank 6
Joseph 6
Francis 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Thomas 4
Edwin 3
Gilbert 3
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Percival 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Barnabas 1
Ben 1
Benjaiman 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Fuller 1
Gorge 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Mathew 1
Oliver 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Rumble 1
Thos.Ed. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Windham 1

FAQ

Purse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purse surname in 1881?

In 1881, 327 people were recorded with the Purse surname. That placed it at #9,147 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016. That gives Purse a modern rank of #10,625.

What does the Purse surname mean?

An English surname derived from an Old French word meaning a small bag for carrying money.

What does the Purse map show?

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