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"). The name may refer to:
Andrew Purves (born 1946), British theologianArthur Purves Phayre (1812–1885), British generalAustin M. Purves, Jr. (1900–1977), American artistBarry Purves (born 1955), British animator and filmmakerCec Purves (born 1933), Canadian politicianChristopher Purves (born 1961), British singerDale Purves (born 1938), American neurobiologistDaphne Purves (1908–2008), New Zealand educatorDella Purves (1945–2008), British botanical artistHerbert Dudley Purves (1908–1993), New Zealand scientistJames Purves (disambiguation), several notable peopleJodie Purves (born 1984), Australian cricketerJohn Purves (born 1968), Canadian ice hockey playerLibby Purves (born 1950), British journalistPeter Purves (born 1939), British television presenterPeter Purves Smith (1912–1949), Australian painterTed Purves (born 1964), American artistWilliam Purves (banker) (born 1931), British banker