History of your Surname
Get access to Perney family records.Start a free trial

Perney Family History

Perney Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Cerney, Berney, Perley, Perkey, Erney, Penney, Nerney, Verney, Kerney

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Perney family from?

You can see how Perney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Perney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Perney families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Perney family living in New York. This was about 33% of all the recorded Perney's in USA. New York and 2 other states had the highest population of Perney families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Perney surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Perney ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Secretary were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Perney. 30% of Perney men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Perney women worked as a Secretary. Some less common occupations for Americans named Perney were Salesman and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Perney | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Carpenter
    19%
  • Laborer
    19%
  • Salesman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Secretary
    60%
  • Waitress
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Perney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Perney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Perney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Perney

Passenger Lists

There are 299 immigration records available for the last name Perney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Perney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 264 military records available for the last name Perney. For the veterans among your Perney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Perney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Perney family history

Discover More

What is the average Perney lifespan?

Between 1965 and 2004, in the United States, Perney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Perney in 1965 was 56, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Perney

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Perney family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Perney last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial