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Perry Family History

Perry Surname Meaning

Welsh: Anglicized form of Welsh ap Herry ‘son of Herry’ a variant of the personal name Harry (see Harris ). English: topographic name for someone who lived near a pear tree (Middle English piri(e) peri(e) puri(e) Old English pirige pyrige) or a habitational name for someone who owned or came from a place so named. This surname and a number of variants have been established in Ireland since the 17th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Ferry, Merry, Berry, Terry, Parry, Penry, Derry, Barry, Pere, Perr

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Perry family from?

You can see how Perry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perry families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 579 Perry families living in New York. This was about 19% of all the recorded Perry's in USA. New York had the highest population of Perry families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perry surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Perry ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perry. 18% of Perry men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Perry women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perry were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Perry | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    18%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Perry family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Perry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Perry

Passenger Lists

There are 120,000 immigration records available for the last name Perry. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Perry immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 230,000 military records available for the last name Perry. For the veterans among your Perry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Perry family history

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What is the average Perry lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Perry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Perry in 1940 was 42, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perry

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