Contents [hide]

Purdie History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Purdie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Purdie is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was a name for someone who was 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 Purdie family

The surname Purdie 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 Purdie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Purdie 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 Purdie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Purdie Spelling Variations

Purdie has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Purdie have been found, including Pardy, Pardie, Pardee, Purdie, Purdew, Purdy, Purdoe, Pardoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Purdie family

Notables of the family at this time include

Alexander Purdie (c. 1743- 1779), born in Scotland, emigrated to America by 1764...

Purdie Ranking

In the United States, the name Purdie is the 15,699^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Purdie family to Ireland

Some of the Purdie 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.

Purdie migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Purdies to arrive on North American shores:

Purdie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Purdie, who landed in Virginia in 1645 4
Richard Purdie, who settled in Virginia in 1646

Purdie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Purdie, aged 46, who arrived in New York in 1812 4
Elizth. Purdie, aged 15, who landed in America from Caisbey, in 1892
John Purdie, aged 35, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
Peter Purdie, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Queenstown, in 1893
Frank Purdie, aged 18, who settled in America, in 1894
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Purdie Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Charles Purdie, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States from Kirkcaldy, Scotland, in 1907
Agnes Purdie, aged 28, who settled in America from London, England, in 1908
Elizabeth Purdie, aged 34, who immigrated to the United States from Ruthenglew, Scotland, in 1910
Adam Purdie, aged 26, who landed in America from Ocheltree, Scotland, in 1911
Charles F. Purdie, who landed in America, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Purdie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Purdie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Samuel Purdie, aged 45, a carpenter, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Isobel Purdie, aged 32, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
William Purdie, who landed in Canada in 1821

Purdie Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Hugh Purdie, aged 24, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1913

Purdie migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Purdie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Purdie, aged 26, a farmer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Emily" 5
James Purdie, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Emily" in 1849 5

Purdie migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Purdie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Gavin Purdie, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 6
Mrs. Purdie, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 6
Mr. Purdie, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 6
Mrs. Elizabeth Purdie, (b. 1811), aged 54, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 7
Miss Anna Purdie, (b. 1835), aged 30, British needlewoman travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Purdie (post 1700) +

Christine Purdie, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1996
Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (b. 1939), American session drummer
Robert James "Rob" Purdie (b. 1982), English footballer from Leicester, England
Tom Purdie, Scottish football fullback who played between 1875 and 1881
Bernard Charles Purdie (b. 1949), former Welsh professional footballer from Wrexham
Ian Purdie (b. 1953), Scottish former footballer
Justin Purdie (b. 1980), Samoan rugby union flanker
David Purdie (b. 1966), Scottish ex professional footballer
Brad Purdie (b. 1972), Canadian ice hockey centre from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec
Shirley Purdie, contemporary Indigenous Australian artist
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The EMILY 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Emily.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html