NameCensus.

UK surname

Purves

From a small stream, referring to its geographic origin.

In the 1881 census there were 1,963 people recorded with the Purves surname, ranking it #2,235 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,155, ranked #3,000, down from #2,235 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, Coldingham and Kelso. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selkirk, Northumberland and Kelso North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Purves is 2,195 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

1,963

Ranked #2,235

Modern count

2,155

2016, ranked #3,000

Peak year

2000

2,195 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Purves had 1,963 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,235 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,155 in 2016, ranked #3,000.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,186 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Purves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Purves surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Purves 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 1,333 #2,153
1861 historical 1,557 #1,825
1881 historical 1,963 #2,235
1891 historical 2,186 #2,142
1901 historical 2,160 #2,490
1911 historical 762 #5,675
1997 modern 2,067 #2,974
1998 modern 2,158 #2,963
1999 modern 2,194 #2,950
2000 modern 2,195 #2,930
2001 modern 2,098 #2,985
2002 modern 2,121 #3,017
2003 modern 2,095 #2,988
2004 modern 2,115 #2,963
2005 modern 2,100 #2,946
2006 modern 2,088 #2,970
2007 modern 2,112 #2,973
2008 modern 2,120 #2,980
2009 modern 2,155 #3,011
2010 modern 2,191 #3,025
2011 modern 2,135 #3,061
2012 modern 2,079 #3,081
2013 modern 2,112 #3,089
2014 modern 2,148 #3,060
2015 modern 2,136 #3,040
2016 modern 2,155 #3,000

Geography

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Where Purves' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, Coldingham, Kelso, Eyemouth and Duns. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selkirk, Northumberland, Kelso North, Newtongrange and Berwickshire Central. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 Coldingham Berwick
3 Kelso Roxburgh
4 Eyemouth Berwick
5 Duns Berwick

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selkirk Scottish Borders
2 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
3 Kelso North Scottish Borders
4 Newtongrange Midlothian
5 Berwickshire Central Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Purves

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Purves

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Purves surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Purves household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Purves 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

Purves 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

Purves falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Purves

The surname Purves is of Scottish origin, derived from the name of the Purves Burn, a small stream in Berwickshire. The earliest recorded spelling is Puruas, found in the records of the Abbey of Kelso in the early 13th century.

The name is thought to come from the Brittonic word "pur", meaning a fort or enclosure, combined with the Gaelic word "uas", meaning high or upper. This suggests the name originally referred to a high or elevated fortification near the stream.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was William de Puruas, who witnessed a charter by Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, in 1248. The name also appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the Purves family held lands in Berwickshire and East Lothian. Notable members include Sir William Purves, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, and Sir John Purves, who was taken prisoner at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346.

The Purves name can be found in various historical records throughout the centuries, with different spellings such as Purvas, Puruas, and Purvis. In the 16th century, James Purves served as an ambassador for King James VI of Scotland, while in the 17th century, John Purves was a Scottish minister and author.

Other notable bearers of the Purves surname include:

1. Sir William Purves (1787-1826), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 2. William Purves (1823-1907), a Scottish-American botanist and horticulturist. 3. George Purves (1852-1901), a Scottish-American theologian and author. 4. James Purves (1834-1916), a Scottish-Australian explorer and surveyor. 5. Jock Purves (1906-1988), a Scottish professional footballer who played for Hibernian and the Scottish national team.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Purves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Purves 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. Berwickshire leads with 486 Purves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 210.13x.

County Total Index
Berwickshire 486 210.13x
Midlothian 484 18.92x
Northumberland 215 7.57x
East Lothian 168 66.41x
Roxburghshire 143 41.33x
Lanarkshire 91 1.47x
Durham 69 1.21x
Middlesex 62 0.32x
Fife 36 3.18x
Lancashire 28 0.12x
Selkirkshire 25 14.47x
Angus 20 1.13x
Renfrewshire 18 1.22x
West Lothian 11 3.82x
Caithness 10 3.82x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 3.62x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.51x
Yorkshire 9 0.05x
Argyllshire 6 1.13x
Oxfordshire 6 0.51x
Dumfriesshire 5 1.19x
Kent 5 0.08x
Stirlingshire 5 0.71x
Hertfordshire 4 0.30x
Derbyshire 3 0.10x
Ayrshire 2 0.14x
Devon 2 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.39x
Hampshire 2 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.08x
Peeblesshire 2 2.23x
Perthshire 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Wiltshire 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.63x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Nairnshire 1 1.72x
Ross-shire 1 0.19x
Surrey 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

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 221 Purves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.47x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 221 21.47x
Coldingham 75 360.75x
Eyemouth 65 336.79x
South Leith 64 22.23x
Ayton 62 462.00x
Tweedmouth 51 143.95x
Dunbar 50 140.96x
Berwick Upon Tweed 46 76.40x
Dunse 39 177.84x
Kelso 38 110.24x
Jedburgh 33 97.32x
Eccles 31 306.02x
Inveresk 29 41.86x
Edrom 28 282.54x
Swinton 28 443.04x
St Pancras London 25 1.63x
Barony 24 1.54x
Govan 24 1.57x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 23 13.55x
Penicuik 20 57.52x
Foulden 18 700.39x
Wallsend 18 19.97x
Coldstream 17 101.55x
Greenlaw 17 207.57x
Haddington 17 45.52x
Melrose 17 39.09x
Gordon 16 292.50x
Edinburgh Greenside 15 44.37x
Edinburgh St Marys 15 30.16x
Edinburgh St Stephens 15 29.78x
Innerwick 14 275.05x
Cockburnspath 13 175.91x
Horncliffe 13 570.18x
Glasgow 12 1.09x
Hutton 12 189.27x
Melrose 12 40.12x
Norham 12 190.17x
Stitchel 12 530.97x
Berwick North 11 62.08x
Dundee 11 1.67x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 18.17x
Edinburgh Canongate 11 16.89x
Preston 11 1.81x
St George Hanover 11 4.41x
Edinburgh St Georges 10 18.83x
Prestonpans 10 58.93x
Tynemouth 10 6.57x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 2.44x
Canisbay 9 52.42x
Carnwath 9 23.57x
Dalkeith 9 17.83x
Elie 9 202.25x
Lasswade 9 15.38x
Ormiston 9 134.13x
Stow 9 68.44x
Westoe 9 2.79x
Abbotshall 8 18.93x
Aberlady 8 121.95x
Bishopwearmouth 8 1.64x
Chirnside 8 80.73x
Ednam 8 198.02x
Everton 8 1.11x
Gateshead 8 1.88x
Gladsmuir 8 70.92x
North Leith 8 6.76x
Prestonkirk 8 63.24x
Sherburn 8 46.27x
Smailholm 8 273.97x
Cranshaws 7 1014.49x
Galashiels 7 10.96x
Kilbarchan 7 15.57x
Legerwood 7 191.78x
Medomsley 7 26.41x
Morebattle 7 105.74x
Ancrum 6 66.89x
Earlston 6 51.81x
Eckford 6 100.17x
Hartlepool 6 7.43x
Jesmond 6 15.00x
Morham 6 437.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 22
Isabella 22
Jane 19
Mary 18
Margaret 15
Catherine 8
Annie 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Agnes 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Janet 4
Eleanor 3
Elizebeth 3
Hannah 3
Caroline 2
Ellenor 2
Emma 2
Euphemia 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Margret 2
Marian 2
Thomasina 2
Augusta 1
Batlaw 1
Bridget 1
C. 1
Cammila 1
Cathrine 1
Clemintine 1
Dorothy 1
Eden 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Isaballa 1
Isabell 1
Isobel 1
James 1
Janes 1
Janey 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 30
Robert 26
James 22
George 17
Thomas 13
Alexander 7
David 5
Richard 5
Andrew 4
Charles 4
Arthur 3
Joseph 3
Chas. 2
Henry 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
Adam 1
Alex 1
Alexr. 1
Anthony 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Gedion 1
Jacob 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
R.A. 1
Roderick 1
Roger 1
Stewart 1
Stuart 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Purves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Purves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,963 people were recorded with the Purves surname. That placed it at #2,235 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Purves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,155 in 2016. That gives Purves a modern rank of #3,000.

What does the Purves surname mean?

From a small stream, referring to its geographic origin.

What does the Purves map show?

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