This unusual name is of both English and French origin and comes from "Perrin" the Middle English and Old French diminutive form of the personal name "Peter". The derivation of "Peter" is from the Greek "Petros", from "petros" rock or stone and it was extremely popular as a given name throughout Christian Europe during the Middle Ages. This popularity stems largely from St. Peter, regarded as the founding father of the Christian church in view of Christ's pronuncement. "Thou art Peter and upon this rock, I will build my Church". In the modern idiom, the surname "Perren" can also be found as "Perin", "Perryn" "Perring" and "Parren". One Richard Perren married Ann Langford on December 3rd 1840, at St. Matthew's, Walsall, Staffordshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Pirun, which was dated 1166, in the "Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire", during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.