Find out how popular the last name Parham is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Parham.

Parham, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Parham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parham in America

Parham is the 2302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parham surname appeared 15,846 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Parham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parham to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Parham

The surname Parham has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Parham, which is found in various locations across the country, including West Sussex, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire.

The name Parham itself is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "pearroc" meaning a small enclosed area or paddock, and "ham" which referred to a homestead or village. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or were associated with a small enclosed settlement or hamlet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Parham can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, dated 1230, where a Robert de Parham is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also document a John de Parham in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which list a Thomas Parham. The Sussex Feet of Fines from 1396 mentions a John Parham, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524 record a William Parham.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Sir John Parham (c. 1567-1624), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Arundel in Sussex. Another prominent individual was Robert Parham (1613-1679), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Pettistree in Suffolk.

In the 17th century, the Parham name gained further recognition with Edward Parham (1630-1695), an English politician and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Sussex in 1680. Additionally, John Parham (1654-1720) was an English clergyman and author who held the position of Archdeacon of Rochester from 1702 until his death.

Furthermore, the surname Parham has been associated with various place names, such as Parham in West Sussex, which was once home to Parham Park and the historic Parham House, dating back to the 16th century. The village of Parham in Suffolk also bears this name, as does a parish in Cambridgeshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parham

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Parham.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Parham was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Parham has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Parham was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Parham, please contact us.

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