PERRYMAN
Perryman is a surname of English origin that has evolved through several historical forms and meanings. Its earliest appearance can be traced to medieval England, where it was recorded in the Hundred Rolls and other contemporary documents.
The name is first attested as an occupational or topographic appellation derived from the Middle English word pari‑man, which meant a pilgrim or a person who had completed a religious journey. Such a designation might have been applied to an individual who had returned from a notable pilgrimage or who was regarded as pious or devout. In this sense, the surname signifies a link to religious practice and spiritual devotion.
Another derivation of Perryman points to the Old English term pyrige, meaning a pear tree. The suffix ‑man would have produced a designation for a person living near a pear tree, working in a pear orchard, or trading in pears or pear cider. Occupational surnames of this nature emerged in the early thirteenth century, and the name was only passed down as a hereditary family name when a son followed the father into the same line of work.
Early documentary evidence of the surname includes William Perryman noted in the Cumberland Hundred Rolls of 1279, Adam Purryman in the Somerset Subsidy Tax Rolls of 1327, and Johannes Perysman listed in the London Poll Tax records of 1379. A later example is Ann Perriman, christened at St. Dunstans in Stepney on 27 October 1583, while a record of Richard Periman appears at St Leonards in Shoreditch on 22 November 1824. The first documented spelling that survives is that of Richard Piriman, dated 1273 in the Essex Hundred Rolls during the reign of King Edward I.
Variations in spelling are numerous, reflecting the orthographic fluidity of the period. Common forms include Paraman, Pereman, Perriman, Pearman, Piriman, Purryman, and others such as Pirryman and Perraman. Modern descendants may find their surnames rendered as Perriman, Periman, or Perrman. These variants illustrate the interchangeable use of the letters i, y, and e in the medieval spelling tradition.
The heraldic devices associated with the Perryman name include a gold field charged with a green chevron flanked by three leopard heads. This coat of arms has been adopted by families bearing the surname and serves as a visual representation of their heritage.
As migration increased, particularly during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, bearers of the Perryman name settled on British dominions and across the Atlantic. In the United States, the surname is most prevalent in the Southern states, with the 2020 census recording approximately 2 184 individuals in Texas alone. Records show that the name first appeared in the pre‑Revolutionary War archives of South Carolina, where two individuals fought for independence. Subsequent immigration streams from England to Texas in the late 1800s further expanded the presence of the name, especially in areas where pear cultivation was historically significant.
Today, the surname Perryman remains identifiable in both the United Kingdom and abroad, particularly in the United States. Its enduring presence reflects a lineage that can be traced back to medieval England, whether through a pilgrim’s vow or a pear orchard’s labour.
Typical given names associated with the Perryman surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Carol
- Charlotte
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jennifer
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Perryman in...
Braille
⠏⠑⠗⠗⠽⠍⠁⠝
Morse
.--...-..-.-.----.--.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Perryman are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.
There are approximately 2,482 people named Perryman in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,534th most common surname in Britain. Around 38 in a million people in Britain are named Perryman.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Perryman
- Steve Perryman - Football player
- Stephen Perryman - Cricketer
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.