The Purcell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 22,383 people carried this name — #1,599 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 13,200 people counted. That is up 3% from 21,696 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Purcell surname

From Latin porcellus.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Purcell» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley explains it as ‘the porcel’.

An early record he cites: John Purcel, 1313 — Writs of Parliament.

His entry covers Purcell, Purssell and Pursell.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 626 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 79 births for the Purcell name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 3,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 3 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 41
Munster 28
Connacht 7
Ulster 3

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In print

Purcell in American newspapers,
1908–1918.

Newspaper page from The Saratoga Sun carrying the name Purcell
The Saratoga Sun 1918-05-02
Newspaper page from Essex County Herald carrying the name Purcell
Essex County Herald 1918-05-10
Newspaper page from The Morning Astorian carrying the name Purcell
The Morning Astorian 1908-02-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 162,107 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Purcell in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

52,203 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Purcell. The most, 9,739, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 20,664
Queensland 13,132
Victoria 12,269
Western Australia 2,905
Tasmania 1,763
South Australia 961
ACT (Canberra) 369
Northern Territory 22

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Purcell.

Who carried it

People named Purcell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ganson Purcell
    Ganson Purcell d. 1967
  • John Purcell d. 1539 · Catholic bishop
  • John Purcell d. 1479 · Catholic bishop
  • John Purcell d. 1665 · politician
  • Nicholas Purcell d. 1559 · politician
  • Richard Purcell d. 1586 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Purcell,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States5,192 records

5,192 records of the Purcell name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,501
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 1,346
  • Other U.S. records 2,345
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gary William Purcell

    Born 1948; from Torrance, California. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Francis J. Purcell

    Born 1906 in New Jersey. Enlisted 1941 at Tacoma, Washington; warehouseman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1974, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ella Purcell

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 18; servant. From Loughrea, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 5,192 records for Purcell in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,034 records

2,034 records of the Purcell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 861
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 381
  • Other Australian records 792
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Margaret Purcell

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John Calvin, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Mallow, Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Ellen Purcell

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lord Auckland, sailing from Dublin in 1848. Native of Cork, Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Patrick Purcell

    Died 1920 in Inveresk, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1920.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,034 records for Purcell in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada1,060 records

1,060 records of the Purcell name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 995
  • Halifax municipal cemeteries 21
  • Other Canadian records 44
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Margaret Purcell

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 19.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ed Purcell

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Dominion, bound for Weston, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edith G. Purcell

    Buried in 1989 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 88.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 1,060 records for Purcell in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom31 records

31 records of the Purcell name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 26
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Tobias Purcell

    Buried in 1817 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 60.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Purcell

    Camel Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ellen Purcell

    Buried in 1834 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 18.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 31 records for Purcell in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand28 records

28 records of the Purcell name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 23
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Agnes Purcell

    Died 1968, aged 87; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martin Purcell

    Buried in 1885 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 83.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record A. Purcell

    Lance Corporal, New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Purcell in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Ireland9 records

9 records of the Purcell name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Maria Purcell

    Died 1966, aged 74; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridie Purcell

    Died 1989, aged 73; buried at Annaghvaan, Eanach Mhéain, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 9 records for Purcell in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Purcell name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Christina Purcell

    Married in 1930 in Amsterdam; "acrobate".

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Katij Aloise Purcell

    Died 1900 in Echt, aged 34.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Purcell in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Purcell name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Dominique Albert William Purcell

    Born 1964 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine); died 1995 in Le Croisic (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Purcell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Purcell 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.

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