The Perry surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 221,741 people carried this name — #103 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,330 people counted. That is up 4% from 212,644 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Perry surname
A topographic surname from Old English derived from the Old English pyrige (“a pear tree”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Perry» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 1,147 people named Perry.
83 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 74 départements, most often Vosges.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 23 births for the Perry name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Dublin and Down.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 177 people named Perry live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Chubut.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
102 people named Perry live in Switzerland.
They live in 12 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
22 people named Perry have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 133 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 5 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
117 people named Perry are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Perry in American newspapers,
1902–1910.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,811,696 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Perry,
with a public archive behind them.
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Edwin G. Perry d. 1928 · politician
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Brian Richard Perry d. 2011 · businessperson
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Bill Perry d. 2011 · chief executive officer
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Nathan W. Perry d. 2007 · psychologist
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J. P. Perry d. 1824 · soldier
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William Perry d. 1948 · Anglican priest
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Perry.
- Perrone 6,368 · U.S. census
- Perronne 191 · U.S. census
- Perros 101 · U.S. census
- Perrot 378 · U.S. census
- Perrotta 3,713 · U.S. census
- Perrotte 257 · U.S. census
- Pers 126 · U.S. census
- Perse 176 · U.S. census
- Persico 1,263 · U.S. census
- Persin 240 · U.S. census
- Person 67,411 · U.S. census
- Persyn 338 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Perry is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.