Pert Family History & Genealogy

History

Pert families have seldom belonged to the higher strata of society, and so no heraldic symbols apply to the name. In Scotland and England, heraldry identifies an individual, NOT a surname, and so shields, etc. cannot be used by a family except the one registered with the king of arms.

Name Origin

See the Origins section for much of this. There are several possible meanings, but the most likely is as a place name turned into a surname: a common occurrence with surnames. John "of/from placename" soon became John "placename".

Spellings & Pronunciations

Spelling did not become standardised until after the invention of the dictionary (which allowed for a standard reference for words, and consequently names), but also the spread of literacy was an important factor. If the family bwere not literate, they spoke their names, and a clerk wrote it down for church or civil records. As later as the 1800s many poorer folk were illiterate.
Pert is found mainly as Pairt; Peart, Pert, Part: spellings which all impart the same spoken form, which varied with local dialect. The predominant form is PERT.

Nationality & Ethnicity

There are several possible sources for the origin of the Pert surname. One is linguistic, where the Scots word pert/pairt means a general location (the Scottish phrase: "a lad o' pairts" means a man who has travelled to many places). the English word pert meaning brisk or saucy (as in a pert nose) is not thought to be linked to this surname. A more likely origin is as a placename. The present-day Scottish parish of Logie-Pert was formed in the 17th century by amalgamation of the ancient parishes of Logie and Pert next to Montrose. Unfortunately, early records back to the 14th century seem to use Pert as a variant spelling for the town of Perth (in the period when that town was more often referred to as St. Johnstone). In around 1180 a James de Pert  from Rossyn clerach obtained a charter from the prior of St. Andrews; witnesses included Robert, chaplain of Pert and Samuel de Pert. These clearly refer to the placename. The earliest Scottish occurrences of Pert as a distinct surname is found within the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, as a proprietor named Tho. Perth in Montrose in 1503, and John and Thomas Pert were tenants in Montrose in 1502; but the surname Pert is also found in England in the coastal areas of Durham and Northumberland, as well as Kent and London.  It thus seems probable that either England had a seperate origin for this surname, or persons of this name moved up or down the east coast between Scotland and England. Many Perts were involved in sea fishing and coastal trading over the centuries, the majority being found in the fishing village of Ferryden, Craig parish, beside Montrose.
 
  This surname has appeared in several countries, possibly independently. Scotland, England, and parts of Europe have this surname in their records.

Famous People named Pert

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Early Perts

These are the earliest records we have of the Pert family.