Find out how popular the last name Perry is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Perry.

Perry, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Perry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Perry in America

Perry is the 103rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Perry surname appeared 221,741 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 75 people would have the surname Perry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Perry to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Perry

The surname Perry is believed to have originated in England, derived from the Old French word "perier," which means "pear tree." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive term to someone who lived near a pear tree or orchard.

The earliest recorded instances of the Perry surname can be traced back to the late 11th century in various parts of England, such as Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Shropshire. It is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the Middle Ages, the Perry surname was often spelled in various ways, including Pery, Perrie, and Perrey. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings before standardization became more common in later centuries.

One notable bearer of the Perry surname was Sir Giles Perry, who lived in the 14th century and served as a soldier during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

In the 16th century, the Perry name gained prominence through the exploits of John Perry, a renowned English navigator and explorer who embarked on several voyages to the West Indies and South America. His travels and discoveries contributed to the expansion of British maritime interests during this period.

Another famous individual with the Perry surname was Oliver Hazard Perry, an American naval officer born in 1785. He is best known for his decisive victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, where he famously declared, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

In the world of literature, Matthew Calbraith Perry, born in 1794, was an American naval officer and diplomat who played a crucial role in opening up trade relations between the United States and Japan in the mid-19th century. His expedition to Japan in 1853-1854 is considered a pivotal event in the country's history.

The Perry surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Perry Barr in Birmingham, Perry Hill in Surrey, and Perry Street in London. These place names likely originated from the presence of pear orchards or trees in those areas, reflecting the surname's original meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Perry

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Perry.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Perry was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Perry has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Perry was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Perry, please contact us.

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