This surname is derived from an estate in the parish of West Felton, Shropshire; now spelt Pardoe. Thus the name was adopted by those who resided there. The family still lived in the area in the late 19th century. It has also be postulated that this surname has an alternative descriptive origin. Lower suggests that it is derived from the Olde French, 'par-dieu', meaning 'by God'.

John Pardieu. Rolls of Parliament.

1808. Married — James Pardoe and Sarah Birt: St. George, Hanover Square.

John Purdie was one of an inquest in 1296 which found that Robert de Pinkeny held the tenement of Balincref (Bain, II, 857), and David Perdy was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in Linton, 1376 (RHM., I, p. lii) A later David Purde, succentor of Glasgow, 1476-77, appears again in 1491 as Prade (REG., 413,460), and in the title of his obituary in 1497 his name is given as Prowde (LCD., p. 202). Jonette Purdy in Strafrank is mentioned in 1525 (Rental), and in 1585 a grant for life was made to John Purdie of the chaplainry called Nomine Jesu in Brechin (RER., II, 351). James Perdy was Kintyre Herald, 1569 (RPC., I, p, 658). A family of this name were landowners in the parish of St. Vigeans at the end of the sixteenth century. Rev, J R. Johnston says Purdie is the modern form of Old English name Purta or Purda, found also in the Border name Purdom. The derivation from French Par Dieu is nonsense, and the explanation of the name as a diminutive of Perdovan or Purdevan not much better.

(Anglo-French-Latin) for the French Par Dieu = By God; a nickname from this oath [French par dieu, Latin per deum, acc. of deus; but the classical form of the oath was plural—per deos] John Pardieu.—Rolls of Parl.

He is a kynges brother sone, pardee.— Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 3084.

This is in all likelihood an oath-'Par Dieu'-and may have originated in a similar manner with Bigod, of which, indeed, it may be a simple translation. The habit of profane swearing, so common in the middle ages, seems to have been an importation from Normandy. See Bigod. William the Conqueror, Rufus, and many of their successors, set a very bad example to their subjects in this respect; and in the XII. century, Giraldus Cambrensis complains that-"there are some princes who at every word employ an enormous oath, foolishly and rashly presuming to swear by the death of God, by his eyes, his feet, his teeth and irreverently strive to tear their God limb from limb." At a later period, this profanity was by no means limited to the noble, as a very slight acquaintance with Chaucer and other writers of the time will show. Profane oaths abound in the Canterbury Tales, proving that in the XIV. century it was a great national vice. How bad a character our countrymen had for it in the XV. century, is proved by the following incident at the trial of Joan of Are. A French witness named Colette having used the name "Godon," was asked who Godon was, and replied that it was not the designation of any particular person, but a sobriquet applied generally to the English, on account of their continual use of the exclamation, "God damn it." Sharon Turner's Middle Ages, ii. 555.

A probable corruption of Purdew.

Purdy is an ancient Norfolk name, which was also represented in Cambridgeshire by Purde as far back as the 13th century. In 1610, Edmund Purdye owned part of the manor of Stoke; in 1479, John Purdy was rector of Catfield; and in 1471, the widow of Robert Purdy was buried beside her husband in Aylesham church (Bl.). A family of Purdey, holding property in Rockland St. Andrew in the beginning of the 16th century, came from Bury in Hertfordshire at the end of the previous century (Bl.). The Purdys are still represented in Rockland St. Andrew and Aylesham.

Walter Pardoe was mayor of Worcester in 1687; in 1794 Christian Pardoe was still living in St. Andrew's parish, Worcester, at the age of 103 (G.). Pardoe is still a Worcester name.