The Parish surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,466 people carried this name — #2,498 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 20,400 people counted. That is up 2% from 14,250 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Parish surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of the parish’.

An early record he cites: Willelmus de Parysch, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Parish and Parrish.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 584 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Parish was found among the farmers of Essex: 27 in every 10,000.

Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Parish and Parrish.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Essex 27

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

144 families named Parish, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 780 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 39
Maryland 24
New York 19
Connecticut 15
Virginia 14
Massachusetts 10
Vermont 8
Pennsylvania 8
Maine 3
South Carolina 3
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 256 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Parish in American newspapers,
1900–1911.

Newspaper page from Omaha Daily Bee carrying the name Parish
Omaha Daily Bee 1900-11-03
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Parish
The Birmingham Age-herald 1911-06-10
Newspaper page from The Rich Hill Tribune carrying the name Parish
The Rich Hill Tribune 1908-05-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 2,094 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Parish in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

25,221 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Parish. The most, 5,099, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 10,143
South Australia 5,616
Victoria 3,778
Queensland 2,530
Tasmania 1,833
Western Australia 1,107
ACT (Canberra) 169
Northern Territory 9

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Parish.

Who carried it

People named Parish,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Parish
    John Parish 1742–1829 · diplomat
  • John Parish
    John Parish 1742–1829 · diplomat
  • Woodbine Parish
    Woodbine Parish 1796–1882 · diplomat
  • Woodbine Parish
    Woodbine Parish 1796–1882 · diplomat
  • Henry Headley Parish d. 1875 · historian
  • Woodbine Parish 1768–1848 · merchant

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Parish,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,133 records

1,133 records of the Parish name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 523
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 201
  • Other U.S. records 409
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Eugene F. Parish

    Born 1915 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi; shipping clerk. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 1982, buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael Lawrence Parish

    Born 1948; from Perris, California. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Parish

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 22; laborer. From Liverpool, England; bound for Boston.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,133 records for Parish in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia732 records

732 records of the Parish name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 312
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 194
  • Other Australian records 226
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charlotte Parish

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Tory, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Bristol, Gloucestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852. Married 1852 in Hobart, Tasmania.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Samuel Parish

    Died 1889 in Lefroy, Tasmania, aged 31. Will registered in Tasmania in 1889.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joshua Parish

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Sydenham, aged 39; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 732 records for Parish in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada67 records

67 records of the Parish name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 50
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 7
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Parish

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Tweed, landing at Quebec, bound for Hamilton, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Ethel Margaret Victoria Parish

    Buried in 1993 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 94.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Ann Parish

    Died 1910 in Wolfville, Kings, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 67 records for Parish in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom41 records

41 records of the Parish name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 33
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 7
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Parish

    Buried in 1814 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 64.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jane Parish

    Will proved in 1929; of Old Colwyn, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. F. A. Parish

    Suffolk Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 41 records for Parish in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand30 records

30 records of the Parish name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 25
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Neville James Parish

    Died 1980, aged 45; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Nigel Parish

    Died 1990, aged 18; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Gertrude Steven Parish

    Died 1883; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 30 records for Parish in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands23 records

23 records of the Parish name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 14
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 8
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johanna Willemina Parish

    Married in 1839 in Rotterdam. Died 1880 in Rotterdam, aged 78.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Adriana Parish

    Died 1847 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 84.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register @@Llen Parish

    In the population register of Amsterdam; born 1855 in Londen.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Amsterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Parish in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Parish.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Parish.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Parish is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Parish volume
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