Purves (surname)
# Purves (surname)

Purves is a surname of British origin, which is a variant of Purvis. It is an occupational surname, meaning the person responsible for obtaining supplies for a household or monastery, derived from the Middle English purveys (meaning "provisions" or "supplies"), from the Old French porveoir ("to provide, supply"). Notable people with this surname include:

* Andrew Purves (born 1946), British theologian
* Austin M. Purves Jr. (1900–1977), American artist
* Barry Purves (born 1960), British animator and filmmaker
* Cec Purves (born 1933), Canadian politician
* Christopher Purves (born 1961), British singer
* Dale Purves (born 1938), American neurobiologist
* Daphne Purves (1908–2008), New Zealand educator
* Della Purves (1945–2008), British botanical artist
* Herbert Dudley Purves (1908–1993), New Zealand scientist
* James Purves (disambiguation), several notable people
* Jodie Purves (born 1984), Australian cricketer
* John Purves (disambiguation), several people
* John-Clay Purves (1825–1903), British curator and geologist
* Laidlaw Purves (1842–1917), Scottish surgeon and golf advocate
* Libby Purves (born 1950), British journalist
* Margaret Purves (1934–2021), British recipient of the Albert Medal, later exchanged for the George Cross
* Peter Purves (born 1939), British television presenter and actor
* Ted Purves (born 1964), American artist
* William Purves (banker) (born 1931), British banker
