The Parson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 13,209 people carried this name — #2,727 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 22,300 people counted. That is up 5% from 12,565 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Parson surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a name of office: ‘the parson’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: William Persona, Norfolk, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

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

In Argentina’s national register

At least 97 people named Parson live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 82
Río Negro 15

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 34 people named Parson.

3 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 8 départements, most often Gironde.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 3
Gironde 9
Lot-et-Garonne 6
Loire-Atlantique 5
Gers 4
Paris 3
Pas-de-Calais 2
Pyrénées-Atlantiques 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

64 people named Parson is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 64

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Parson in American newspapers,
1878–1893.

Newspaper page from The Bossier Banner carrying the name Parson
The Bossier Banner 1879-08-28
Newspaper page from The Weekly Thibodaux Sentinel And Journal Of The 8th Senatorial District carrying the name Parson
The Weekly Thibodaux Sentinel And Journal Of The 8th Senatorial District 1893-10-28
Newspaper page from The Bossier Banner carrying the name Parson
The Bossier Banner 1878-06-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Parson in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

10,631 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Parson. The most, 1,653, date from the 1910s. 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 2,663
Victoria 2,325
South Australia 2,211
Queensland 1,660
Western Australia 905
Tasmania 780
ACT (Canberra) 47
Northern Territory 22

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

Who carried it

People named Parson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Parson d. 1847 · naval officer
  • Elizabeth Parson 1812–1873 · hymnwriter
  • Charlotte Catherine Parson 1823–
  • Elizabeth Parson 1844–1903
  • Arthur George Parson 1845–1907
  • Donald Parson 1882–1961 · writer

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

In the public record

People named Parson,
in the records of 7 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 States1,015 records

1,015 records of the Parson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 392
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 205
  • Other U.S. records 418
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William C. Parson

    Born 1924 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1945 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; doorman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 1969, buried at Chattanooga 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 Doyle Hall Parson

    Born 1932; from Weeping Water, Nebraska. U.S. Navy, boatswain's mate; killed in action 1969 in Bac Lieu, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Ellen Parson

    Arrived at New York in 1849 aboard the El Dorado from Liverpool, aged 34; laborer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,015 records for Parson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · 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) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). 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).

Netherlands325 records

325 records of the Parson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 199
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 111
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 15
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Maria Petronella Parson

    Married in 1930 in Bloemendaal; domestic servant. Died 1936 in Haarlem, aged 30.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Bastiaan Teunis Willem Parson

    Married in 1917 in Amsterdam. Died 1970 in Borculo.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelmina Parson

    Married in 1887 in Apeldoorn. Died 1922 in Haarlem, aged 71.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 325 records for Parson 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).

Australia186 records

186 records of the Parson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 122
  • Tasmanian Names Index 36
  • Other Australian records 28
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Eliza Ann Parson

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852. Married 1852 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 20.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Parson

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Guildford, arriving 1827; ticket of leave 1837. Native of Glasgow.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Kath Maud Parson

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Carlisle Castle, aged 11; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 186 records for Parson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada39 records

39 records of the Parson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 18
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 8
  • Other Canadian records 13
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Douglas Haig Parson

    Died 1926; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Edward Parson

    Died 1897 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record James Parson

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 39 records for Parson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

France20 records

20 records of the Parson 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 Odette Catherine Parson

    Born 1896 in Beliet; died 1991 in Belin-Béliet (Gironde).

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

    Born 1913 in Sainte-Radegonde; died 1994 in Auch (Gers).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Louis Rene Parson

    Born 1924 in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne); died 1986 in Épinay-sur-Seine (Seine-Saint-Denis).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 20 records for Parson in France.

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).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Parson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick James Parson

    Died 1988, aged 61; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Rachel Parson

    Buried in 1852 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 70.

    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 L. Parson

    Royal Garrison Artillery. 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 5 records for Parson 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. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Parson 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 Cecilia Parson

    Died 1902, aged 31; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Parson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Parson is.
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