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![Show Contents]() Pery Surname History
- Origins Available:
 England
The distinguished surname Pery originated in Cornwall, a region of southwest England that is celebrated in the Arthurian romances of the Middle Ages. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Nickname surnames were rare among the Cornish, they did occasionally adopt names that reflected the physical characteristics or other attributes of the original bearer of the name. The name Pery is a nickname type of surname for a servant employed by someone named Perry. Perry is a derivative of the ancient Biblical name Peter, meaning rock. Early Origins of the Pery familyThe surname Pery was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. By the 12th century the family had affected the Normanization of their surname to De Puryham, but it is more likely to be of Dumnonian origin, although undoubtedly that spelling is incorrect. From Puryham the name became Perriam, and then Periam, and then Peryman, then Perriman. There is no evidence that the name Perryman has any connection whatsoever with the wine, perry, a maker or seller of perry. 1 There is solid evidence, however, that Periam and Perryman are connected, both bearing a similar family name Coat of Arms from about the 15th century. This whole group of names are most likely connected with the Cornish St. Perran as we shall see later in this treatise. Early History of the Pery familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pery research. Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1237, 1534, 1551, 1593 and 1604 are included under the topic Early Pery History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Pery Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Perryman, Peryman, Perriman, Periman, Perrieman, Perieman, Perreman, Pereman, Peryam, Perriam, Periam, Puryham and many more. Early Notables of the Pery familyNotable amongst the family at this time was - Sir William Peryam (1534-1604), English judge, eldest son of John Peryam of Exeter, Fellow of Oxford in 1551...
 Pery migration to the United States | + |
Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Pery or a variant listed above:
Pery Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Richard Pery, who landed in Virginia in 1658 2
- John Pery, who landed in Virginia in 1666 2
- Sarah Pery, who arrived in Maryland in 1667 2
- Margaret Pery, who arrived in Maryland in 1673 2
Pery Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Ursula Pery, who landed in Virginia in 1700 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Pery (post 1700) | + |
- William Cecil Pery (1721-1794), Lord Glentworth, Irish Bishop of Killaloe and Limerick
- Edmund Henry Pery (1758-1845), Earl of Limerick, son of William Cecil Pery, Irish politician
- Edmond Sexton Pery (1719-1806), Viscount Pery, eldest son of the Rev. Stackpole Pery, Irish lawyer and politician from Dublin
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)
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Pery migration to the United States 
