The Parr surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,286 people carried this name — #2,239 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,100 people counted. That is up 1% from 16,120 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Parr surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Parr’ — the first of the origins he gives.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 586 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Parr name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 2
Connacht 1
Leinster 1
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Parr was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Nottinghamshire: 15 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 667. 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.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Nottinghamshire 15
Lincolnshire 10
Lancashire 9

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 Scotland’s registers today

Parr was recorded 14 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1484th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 10. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

29 Parr families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 142 people lived in those households, 4.9 to a family on average. 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 12
Pennsylvania 7
New York 4
Virginia 3
Maryland 2
Massachusetts 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

Parr in American newspapers,
1903–1917.

Newspaper page from The Morgan City Daily Review carrying the name Parr
The Morgan City Daily Review 1917-04-24
Newspaper page from The Morgan City Daily Review carrying the name Parr
The Morgan City Daily Review 1917-04-30
Newspaper page from Oxford Democrat carrying the name Parr
Oxford Democrat 1903-09-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 256,054 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Parr in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2010s.

36,841 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Parr. The most, 5,158, 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 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 12,869
South Australia 7,950
Queensland 7,068
Victoria 5,138
Tasmania 2,081
Western Australia 1,368
ACT (Canberra) 273
Northern Territory 26

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

Who carried it

People named Parr,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Susanna Parr d. 1659 · writer
  • Wolstenholme Parr d. 1845 · author
  • Wolstenholme Parr d. 1845 · author
  • Codrington Parr d. 1854 · magistrate
  • Nathaniel Parr d. 1751 · copper engraver
  • Thomas Clements Parr d. 1863

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Parr,
in the records of 9 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 States1,601 records

1,601 records of the Parr name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 602
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 286
  • Other U.S. records 713
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael Grambling Parr

    Born 1945; from Ft Worth, Texas. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1968 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. Buried at Us Military Academy Cemetery, West Point, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph W. Parr

    Born 1921 in Texas. Enlisted 1940 at Fort Sam Houston; baker. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (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 Catherine Parr

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Majestic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; nurse. From London; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 1,601 records for Parr in the United States.

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

Australia878 records

878 records of the Parr name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 463
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 132
  • Other Australian records 283
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Benjamin Parr

    Died 1859 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 56. Will registered in Tasmania in 1859.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Davey Parr

    Born 1848 in Westbury, Tasmania. Married 1882 in Westbury, Tasmania, aged 33.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 William Parr

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Fortune, arriving 1813; ticket of leave 1814. Native of Liverpool.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 878 records for Parr in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · 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: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada145 records

145 records of the Parr name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 79
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 16
  • Other Canadian records 50
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Francis Parr

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Austrian, landing at Quebec, bound for St. Catharines, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Robert Parr

    Killed in 1902 at the Dominion No. 2 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Katherina Parr

    Buried in 1977 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 67.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 145 records for Parr 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. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom59 records

59 records of the Parr name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 52
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Laura Parr

    Will proved in 1925; of Penrhyn Bay, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry Parr

    Buried in 1829 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 29.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. Parr

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 59 records for Parr 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: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Germany55 records

55 records of the Parr name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Johann Parr

    From Hösbach, Aschaffenburg. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 1 May 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Parr

    From Flederichs Mühle. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 23 November 1915.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 55 records for Parr in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Norway19 records

19 records of the Parr name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Fred King Parr

    Census of 1910: Vestre Strandgate, Kristiansand; "oberstløitnant", born 1850 in Drøbak.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Henriette Parr

    Census of 1910: Birkelund, Eidsvold; "sindsyg", born 1847 in Drøbak.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Hugo Ragnar Parr

    Census of 1910: Frognerveien, Kristiania; born 1894 in Kristiania.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Parr in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand12 records

12 records of the Parr name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Parr

    Died 1898, aged 87; buried at Addington 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 Kenneth Frederick Parr

    Died 1989, aged 63; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Grace Augusta Parr

    Died 1931, aged 57; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Parr in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

Netherlands10 records

10 records of the Parr name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  • Dutch population registers 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Marij Ann Parr

    Died 1949 in Arnhem, aged 73; nun.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Johann Hendrich Parr

    Baptised in 1782 in Bergen op Zoom.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record kind van Didirikus Parr

    Buried in 1759 in Oosterhout.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Parr in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Parr name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Isabelle Parr

    Born 1928 in Algeria; died 1994 in Saint-Aignan (Loir-et-Cher).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Edwin Jesse Parr

    Born 1922 in Morocco; died 1990 in Fréhel (Côtes-d'Armor).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Parr.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Parr 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 Parr volume
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