The Purser surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,545 people carried this name — #9,199 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 83,300 people counted. That is up 5% from 3,390 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Purser surname

A surname originating as an occupation for a maker of purses.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Purser» (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 classes it as a name of office: ‘the purser’.

An early record he cites: John le Pussar (sic), Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 627 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Purser was found among the farmers of Worcestershire: 18 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Worcestershire 18

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Purser in American newspapers,
1866–1907.

Newspaper page from Bradford Reporter carrying the name Purser
Bradford Reporter 1866-04-12
Newspaper page from The Beatrice Daily Express carrying the name Purser
The Beatrice Daily Express 1907-02-08

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Purser in Australian newspapers,
1800s–1990s.

20,494 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Purser. The most, 3,716, date from the 1890s. 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 Western Australia, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 6,313
Queensland 4,162
Western Australia 3,787
South Australia 3,589
Victoria 2,336
Tasmania 263
ACT (Canberra) 17
Northern Territory 3

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

Who carried it

People named Purser,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Purser
    John Purser 1835–1903 · mathematician
  • Sarah Purser
    Sarah Purser 1848–1943 · painter
  • Maude Ross Purser d. 1926
  • William Purser 1789–1852 · architect
  • William Purser 1790–1852 · architect
  • Edward Purser 1821–1906

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 Purser,
in the records of 6 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 States261 records

261 records of the Purser name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 129
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 34
  • Other U.S. records 98
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Walter B. Purser

    Born 1920 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Croft, South Carolina; salesperson. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Sharon Memorial Park, North Carolina.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 21; laborer. From Carlow, Ireland; bound for Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record David Arthur Purser

    Born 1946; from Ft Benning, Georgia. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 261 records for Purser in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia255 records

255 records of the Purser name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 138
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 53
  • Other Australian records 64
  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 George Purser

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emerald Isle, sailing from Sheerness in 1843. Native of Great Cornard, Suffolk. 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)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Purser

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Prince Alfred, aged 26; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Cecil Purser

    Medical pract of New South Wales; died 1953.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 255 records for Purser in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada21 records

21 records of the Purser name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 9
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 5
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Purser

    Died 1954, aged 80; buried at Transcona Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Henry Purser

    Died in service in 1941.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Violet R. Purser

    Married 1903 in Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 21 records for Purser in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom21 records

21 records of the Purser name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Stirling Council burial records 5
  • Other British records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Walter Frank Purser

    Buried in 1938 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 53.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Henry Purser

    Will proved in 1936; of Slough, Buckingham.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. P. Purser

    King's Own Scottish Borderers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 21 records for Purser in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Purser name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Purser

    Died 1922, aged 75; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record ArthurJohn Pedley Purser

    Died 1979, aged 86; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City 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 C. Purser

    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 4 records for Purser in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District 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); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Purser name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Emma Purser

    Born 1829 in Ijsselmonde.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Mietje Purser

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1799 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Purser.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Purser 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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