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Purvis Family History

Purvis Name Meaning

Scottish English (Midlothian Northumberland and Durham; of Norman origin): status name or occupational name from an unrecorded Anglo-Norman French purveis probably a derivative of purveoir ‘to foresee; to provide (supplies)’ and synonymous with Anglo-Norman French purveiour ‘steward who provides food and supplies to a royal or monastic household’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Curtis, Chevis, Paris, Parrish, Duris, Purdin, Levis, Parris, Purves

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Where is the Purvis family from?

You can see how Purvis families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Purvis family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Purvis families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 162 Purvis families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Purvis's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Purvis families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Purvis surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Purvis ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Purvis. 44% of Purvis men worked as a Farmer and 19% of Purvis women worked as an Income. Some less common occupations for Americans named Purvis were Salesman and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Purvis | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    44%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    19%
  • Student
    19%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Clerk
    13%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Purvis family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 97,000 census records available for the last name Purvis. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Purvis census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Purvis

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Purvis. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Purvis immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Purvis. For the veterans among your Purvis ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Purvis military records

You've only scratched the surface of Purvis family history

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What is the average Purvis lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Purvis life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1952, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Purvis in 1942 was 42, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Purvis

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