Show ContentsPerrine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Perrine is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. Perrine comes from the ancient given name Peter which anciently meant rock or stone. "The Counts du Perrin held large possessions in the district of Nosiere, in France, but being Huguenots, the family were compelled to quit their native land, in the earlier part of the XVIII. century, and they settled in Lisburn, in Ireland. Several members of the family have distinguished themselves at the Irish bar, and one is well known as the author of an excellent grammar of his ancestral language. " [1]

Early Origins of the Perrine family

The surname Perrine was first found in Northumberland where Perrinus uadletus (Latin form) was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1207. John Pirun was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1166 and Geoffrey Perrun was listed as a Knights Templar in Lincolnshire in 1185. A few years later, Henry Piron was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1194 in Oxfordshire. [2]

Further to the south in Cornwall, the parish of Perran-Zabuloe is of interest to us. "St. Piran, the supposed patron of the tinners, the performer of miracles, the solitary hermit, and the Bishop of Cornwall took up his abode. 'Piran,' according to Leland, 'was born in Ireland within the province of Ostrige. Domuel was his father, and Wingela his mother. Piran was the disciple of St. Patrick. Piran came into Britain, died and was buried in Britain; and Wingela the mother of Piran inhabited in a place near her son with holy virgins.' At a period subsequent to the Norman Conquest, this manor is said to have belonged to a family called St. Piran, but whether related to the ancient saint is very uncertain." [3]

Early History of the Perrine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Perrine research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1553, 1558, 1642, 1665 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Perrine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Perrine Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Perrine were recorded, including Perrin, Perren, Perrine, Peren, Perring, Perrins and others.

Early Notables of the Perrine family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Peryn (died 1558), Dominican, who was probably connected with the Perins of Shropshire, prior of the Dominican house of St. Bartholomew in Smithfield...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Perrine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Perrine Ranking

In the United States, the name Perrine is the 6,843rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [4]


United States Perrine migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Perrine arrived in North America very early:

Perrine Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Daniel Perrine, who landed in New Jersey in 1665 [5]
Perrine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Perrine, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1718 [5]

Canada Perrine migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Perrine Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. William Perrine U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 [6]

Contemporary Notables of the name Perrine (post 1700) +

  • Brigadier-General Henry Pratt Perrine (1891-1953), American Commanding Officer Heidelberg Military Post (1948-1949) [7]
  • Frederick "Bull" Perrine (1877-1915), American professional American League Baseball umpire from 1909 to 1912
  • Ira Burton Perrine (1861-1943), American farmer, rancher and businessman in Idaho, founder of Twin Falls
  • John Grover "Nig" Perrine (1885-1948), American Major League Baseball infielder who played in 1907 for the Washington Senators
  • Valerie Ritchie Perrine (b. 1943), American Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominated, BAFTA Award winning actress, best known for her roles in Lenny (1974), Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980)
  • Charles Dillon Perrine (1867-1951), American-Argentine astronomer, eponym of Perrine, a lunar crater
  • Henry Perrine (1797-1840), American horticulturist, United States Consul in Campeche, Mexico
  • Lawrence Perrine, Professor of English
  • Melissa Perrine (b. 1988), Australia para-alpine skier at the 2010 Winter Paralympics
  • Perrine Palmer Jr., American politician, Mayor of Miami, Florida, 1945-47


The Perrine Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Impavidun feriunt ruinae
Motto Translation: Danger shall strike me unappalled.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  7. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Henry Perrine. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Perrine/Henry_Pratt/USA.html


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