Show ContentsPerdie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Perdie comes from a name for a person who was known for their continued use of the oath pour Dieu, which is Old French meaning "for God." This is a subset of the nickname type of name known as oath names. 1

Early Origins of the Perdie family

The surname Perdie was first found in Bedfordshire where Gilbert Purdeu was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1227. Later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 included an entry for John Purde in Cheshire and the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex had two entries for the family: John Purdew in 1296; and John Purde in 1332. These entries may be the same person, or father and son. In Norfolk, John Purdy was listed there in 1436 as was Robert Purdu in 1479. 1

The same source found Richard Parde in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1228; Robert Pardey in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; and Henry Pardeu in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332. 1

Further to the north in Scotland, "John Purdie was one of an inquest in 1296 which found that Robert de Pinkeny held the tenement of Balincref, and David Perdy was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in Linton, 1376. A later David Purde, succentor of Glasgow, 1476-1477, appears again in 1491 as Prade, and in the title of his obituary in 1497 his name is given as Prowde." 2

Early History of the Perdie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Perdie research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1525, 1569, 1585, 1743, 1754, 1764, 1770, 1776, 1779, 1783, 1814, 1820, 1823, 1858, 1880 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Perdie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Perdie Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Perdie include Pardy, Pardie, Pardee, Purdie, Purdew, Purdy, Purdoe, Pardoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Perdie family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Pardoe (1770-1823), English enameler who was noted for flower painting from Derby. Alexander Purdie (c. 1743- 1779), born in Scotland, emigrated to America by 1764. He became a prominent colonial American printer, publisher, and merchant in Williamsburg, Virginia where he...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Perdie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Perdie family to Ireland

Some of the Perdie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Perdie family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Perdie or a variant listed above: Joseph Pardy who settled in Barbados in 1634; Elizabeth Pardy settled in Virginia in 1654; Thomas Pardey who settled in Placentia, Newfoundland in 1744.



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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