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

Purdy, 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 Purdy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Purdy in America

Purdy is the 2396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Purdy surname appeared 15,126 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Purdy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Purdy 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 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In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Purdi" and "Purday" in various English historical documents.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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Purdy

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

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 Purdy 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 Purdy 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 Purdy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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