Perry Language(s) Old English & Welsh Meaning One who dwells by a pear tree (Geographical); quarryman (English) Son of Harry (Welsh) Region of origin England & Wales
Perry is a surname with several distinct origins. In England , deriving from the Old English pyrige (pear tree), referring to one who dwells by a pear tree,[ 1] while in Wales Perry, along with Parry, arose as patronymics , via a shortening of "ap Harry" (son of Harry). There are some variants in the Romance languages (derived from Latin):[clarification needed ] Pereira , Pereyra, Pereyro, Pereiro, Pereiros, Pereire, Perera, Perer, Perero, Pereros;[ 2] the Norman French perrieur (quarry), possibly referring to a quarryman.[ 2] Perry was recorded as a surname from the late 16th century in villages near Colchester , Essex , East England, such as Lexden and Copford.[ 3] Perry has some resemblance with the Portuguese common surname Pereira , which means pear tree in the Portuguese language . Because of that, many Portuguese immigrants to the USA (especially Massachusetts and the San Francisco Bay Area ) chose to "Americanize " their Pereira surname to Perry. The Italian surname, Perri, related to "Peter", is also often Americanized to Perry.
Geographical distribution [ edit ]
United Kingdom, Empire, and Dependencies[ edit ]
At the time of the United Kingdom Census of 1881 , the frequency of the surname Perry was highest in the following counties:[ 4]
As of 2014, the frequency of the surname was highest in the following countries and territories:[ 4]
1. Guernsey (1: 1,147)
2. French Polynesia (1: 1,231)
3. Wales (1: 1,277)
4. United States (1: 1,332)
5. Bermuda (1: 1,367)
6. Jamaica (1: 1,538)
7. Isle of Man (1: 1,564)
8. Israel (1: 1,572)
9. New Zealand (1: 1,588)
10. Liberia (1: 1,597)
United States and Territories [ edit ]
As of 2014, 67.0% of all known bearers of the surname Perry were residents of the United States. The frequency of the surname was higher than national average in the following U.S. states:
1. Rhode Island (1: 563)
2. Maine (1: 652)
3. Vermont (1: 658)
4. West Virginia (1: 660)
5. North Carolina (1: 699)
6. Tennessee (1: 715)
7. Kentucky (1: 797)
8. Massachusetts (1: 801)
9. New Hampshire (1: 828)
10. Alabama (1: 857)
11. Mississippi (1: 961)
12. South Carolina (1: 1,003)
13. Arkansas (1: 1,025)
14. Virginia (1: 1,040)
15. Louisiana (1: 1,076)
16. Oklahoma (1: 1,081)
17. Utah (1: 1,107)
18. D.C. (1: 1,116)
19. Georgia (1: 1,153)
20. Indiana (1: 1,169)
21. Ohio (1: 1,190)
22. Michigan (1: 1,215)
23. Connecticut (1: 1,235)
24. Maryland (1: 1,243)
25. Idaho (1: 1,302)
26. Alabama (1: 1,321)
The frequency of the surname was highest (over 10 times the national average) in the following U.S. counties:
1. McCreary County, Ky. (1: 49)
2. Slope County, N.D. (1: 59)
3. Bertie County, N.C. (1: 61)
4. Franklin County, N.C. (1: 88)
5. Chowan County, N.C. (1: 102)
6. Daggett County, Utah (1: 105)
7. Warren County, N.C. (1: 106)
8. Morgan County, Ky. (1: 112)
9. Wheatland County, Mont. (1: 112)
10. Vance County, N.C. (1: 115)
11. Wolfe County, Ky. (1: 119)
12. Nash County, N.C. (1: 124)
13. Hertford County, N.C. (1: 129)
14. Brown County, Ill. (1: 129)
15. Washington County, Colo. (1: 130)
Adam Perry (drummer) (born 1969), member of the bands A and Bloodhound Gang
Adam Perry (rugby league) (born 1979), Australian rugby player
Alf Perry (1904–1974), English golfer
Alfred Perry , co-founder of the Douglas Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Andre Perry, member of the American rock band The Lonelyhearts
Andrew Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Anne Perry (1938–2023), English author
Anne C. Perry , American politician
Antoinette Perry (1888–1946), American actress and director; founder American Theatre Wing, annual Antoinette Perry Awards, Tony Awards
Arlis Perry (1955–1974), American female murder victim
Astrid Perry-Indermaur , Australian activist
A. T. Perry (born 1999), American football player
Aulcie Perry (born 1950), retired American-Israeli professional basketball player
Aylesworth Perry (1860–1956), the sixth and longest-serving Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Barbara Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Bob J. Perry (1932–2013), American homebuilder and major political contributor
Bonnie Perry (born 1962), American Anglican bishop in Michigan
Bradley Steven Perry (born 1998), American actor known for playing Gabe Duncan on the Disney Channel Original Series Good Luck Charlie
Brianna Perry (born 1992), American female rapper
Caitríona Perry (born 1980), Irish television journalist and newsreader
Carlotta Perry (1839/48–1914), American writer, poet
Catherine D. Perry (born 1952), American judge
Catherine Joy Perry (born 1985), professional name Lana , American model and professional wrestling figure (valet and wrestler)
Charles Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Chris Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Clark M. Perry (1872–1936), American politician
Corey Perry (born 1985), Canadian hockey player
Darren Perry (born 1968), American football player and NFL coach
Dave Perry (born 1966), English game show co-commentator
David Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Dayn Perry (born 1972), American sportswriter
Dewayne E. Perry , American engineer
E. J. Perry (American football) (born 1998), American football player
Edmund Perry , 1985 murder victim
Edmund Perry (New Jersey politician) (1825–1878), American politician
Edward Perry (industrialist) (1800–1869), English tinplate works master and twice Mayor of Wolverhampton
Edward A. Perry (1831–1889), governor of Florida
Eleanor Perry (1914–1981), screenwriter and author
Elizabeth James-Perry (born 1973), American artist and restoration ecologist
Elliott Perry (1884–1972), American philatelist
Ellyse Perry (born 1990), Australian cricketer and footballer
Elwood L. Perry (1915–2005), American expert on freshwater fishing
Enoch Wood Perry, Jr. (1831–1915), American artist
Frank Perry (1930–1995), American film director
Fred Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Gaylord Perry (1938–2022), American baseball player
Geoffrey Perry (1927–2000), English physics teacher and amateur astronomer
George Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Gillian Perry (botanist) (1943–2011), Australian
Glenn Perry , Australian writer
Grayson Perry (born 1960), English artist
Guy Perry , American actor
Hal Perry (basketball) (1933–2009), American basketball player
Hal Perry (politician) (born 1965), Canadian politician
Harold Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Harry Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Henry Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Imani Perry (born 1972), American interdisciplinary scholar and author
Isaiah Perry (1854–1911), Methodist minister in South Australia, father of engineer Frank Perry and footballer Charlie Perry
Ivor Perry (1904-?), Welsh footballer
Jack Perry (born 1997), American professional wrestler; son of Luke Perry
Jack Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people, several other people
James Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Jason Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Jeffrey Perry , multiple people
Jim Perry (baseball) (born 1935), American Major League Baseball pitcher, brother of pitcher Gaylord Perry
Jim Perry (television personality) (1933–2015), Canadian-American television personality (stage name)
Jimmy Perry (1923–2016), English scriptwriter
Joe Perry (American football) (1927–2011), American footballer
Joe Perry (musician) (born 1950), American guitarist of the rock band Aerosmith (Americanized form of Pereira)
Joe Perry (snooker player) (born 1974), from England
Joel Perry (born 1985), Australian rules footballer
John Perry (musician) (born 1952), English guitarist and writer
John Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Jonathan Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Joseph Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Josephine Perry (1881–1943), American politician
Juan Perry (born 1957), Peruvian congressman
Katherine Perry (1897–1983), American stage and film actress.
Katie Perry (born 1980), Australian fashion designer
Katy Perry (born 1984), American pop singer Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
Kenny Perry (born 1960), American golfer
Kimberly Perry (born 1983), American musician, lead vocalist of The Band Perry
Kyle Perry (born 1986), English footballer
L. Glenn Perry (1944–1998), Chief Accountant of the SEC
L. Tom Perry (1922–2015), an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Lee "Scratch" Perry (1936–2021), Jamaican reggae producer
Lincoln Perry, birth name of Stepin Fetchit (1902–1985), American comedian and actor
Linda Perry (born 1965), American singer, songwriter and record producer
Lorinda Perry (1884–1951), American economist, professor, lawyer
Luke Perry (1966–2019), American actor
Madison S. Perry (1814–1865), governor of Florida
Malcolm Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Mark Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Mario Perry (born 1963), American football player
Mary Perry Smith (1926–2015), American mathematics educator
Matthew Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Michael Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Neil Perry (born 1957), Australian chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter
Neil Perry, American musician, member of The Band Perry
Nora Perry (writer) (1831–1896), American poet, journalist
Niamh Perry (born 1990), Northern Irish singer
N'Kosi Perry (born 1998), American football player
Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), American naval officer
Oliver Henry Perry (1815–1882), American politician
Paul Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Peter Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Phil Perry (born 1957), musician
Philippa Perry (born 1957), English psychotherapist and author
Phyllis Alesia Perry (born 1961), American journalist and author
Ralph Barton Perry (1876–1957), American philosopher and educator
Reggie Perry (basketball) (born 2000), American basketball player
Rick Perry (born 1950), U.S. Secretary of Energy (2017–2019)
Robert H. Perry , yacht designer
Roderick Perry II (born 1997), American football player
Roger Perry (1933–2018), American film and television actor
Roland Hinton Perry (1870–1941), American artist
Ross Perry (born 1990), Scottish footballer
Russet Perry , Virginia State Senator
S. D. Perry (born 1970), American novelist
Samuel Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Scott Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people, multiple people
Seamus Perry (born 1967), British academic and writer
Shane Perry (born 1977), Australian rugby league player
Shaun Perry (born 1978), Bristol and England rugby union player
Shenay Perry (born 1984), American tennis player
Sion L. Perry (c. 1793–1874), justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama
Steve Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Suzi Perry (born 1970), English television presenter
Tamayo Perry (1975–2024), American professional surfer, lifeguard and actor
Todd Perry (American football) (born 1970), NFL player
Todd Perry (ice hockey) (born 1986), Canadian
Todd Perry (tennis) (born 1976), Australian
Travis Perry (born 2005), American basketball player
Trent Perry , American basketball player
Tyler Perry (born 1969), American actor
Tylor Perry (born 2001), American basketball player
Walter Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Whitall Perry (1920–2005), American writer
William Perry (disambiguation) , multiple people
Zoe Perry (born 1983), American actress