Perrin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  France 


Today's generation of the Perrin family bears a name that was brought to England by the wave of emigration that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It 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 Perrin family

The surname Perrin 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 Perrin family

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

Perrin Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Perrin, Perren, Perrine, Peren, Perring, Perrins and others.

Early Notables of the Perrin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Perrin Ranking

In the United States, the name Perrin is the 4,004th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4 However, in France, the name Perrin is ranked the 41st most popular surname with an estimated 44,900 people with that name. 5


Perrin migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Perrin or a variant listed above:

Perrin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Perrin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Perrin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Perrin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Perrin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Perrin Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
Perrin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Perrin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Perrin migration to Australia +

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

Perrin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Perrin 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:

Perrin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Perrin migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16
Perrin Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Perrin (post 1700) +


The Perrin 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.


Suggested Readings for the name Perrin +
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