The Perier surname is common in France (ranked 1244th on the Filae website), and between 1891 and 1990 it was found mainly, in descending order, in Seine-Maritime, Manche, Île-de-France, Gironde and Isère.

[1] According to linguist Henri Moisy, the name Perier, with a single r, is the Norman form of the Low Latin "perarius", meaning a pear tree.

[3] In The French nobility, Arnaud Clement wrote that the family's lineage goes back to David Perier and his wife Marie Beaufils, who died in Le Havre in 1644 and 1640 respectively.

[5] Second lieutenant in the Touraine regiment in 1734, Jean Perier du Petit Bois took part in the siege of Philippsburg.

His brother, Pierre Étienne Perier du Petit Bois (1720-1780), captain of the coastguard militia, bought the position of treasurer general of the Navy and the Colonies in the Port and Department of Le Havre.

[6][7] Antoine de Perier (1751-1844), son of the former, was an aspirant in the Royal Artillery Corps from 1768 to 1770, but was unable to enter for lack of a place.

Released after the fall of Robespierre in 1794, he was appointed colonel in 1797 and took command of the Rouen National Guard, with the support of an emissary from the Count of Provence, who was trying to rally his units to his cause.

[12] His son, Pierre-Étienne (1893-1968), attained the rank of divisional general and the dignity of Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.

[13] Madeleine de Perier (1914-2009), wife of Pierre Grador, was a member of the Lyon-Carter network, which helped Allied airmen escape.

The French Republic recognised her as a soldier without uniform in the Forces Françaises Combattantes who had taken part in the fight to liberate the homeland.

Fighting successfully against the 800 Spanish soldiers, he supported "several vigorous actions" which enabled him to ensure the "salvation of the Company's merchant vessels".

Having returned to sea service, he embarked on the Mars and distinguished himself in action of 8 May 1744 by capturing the HMS Northumberland, after a very violent 9-hour battle.

Raised to the rank of lieutenant général des Armées navales in 1757, he was awarded the Grand Cross of Saint-Louis in 1765.

As squadron leader, commander of Saint-Louis and director of the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine, he died in Versailles in 1757.

During the American Revolutionary War, Perier de Salvert was second in command of the Languedoc (1778), the flagship of d'Estaing's squadron.

[25] As chef d'escadre and knight of Saint-Louis, Louis XVI appointed him a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, created by Washington to reward soldiers who had distinguished themselves during the conflict.

[29] The second one, Éléonor Jacques Perier de Salvert (1748-1783), a lieutenant and knight of Saint-Louis, founded several Masonic lodges, including The Triple Hope in Port Louis.