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

Parkes, 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 Parkes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parkes in America

Parkes is the 9940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parkes surname appeared 3,246 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Parkes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parkes 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 Parkes

The surname Parkes originated in England, deriving from various place names in the country. The earliest forms of the name were derived from the Old English words "pearroc" meaning "park" or "enclosed space" and "hierde" meaning "herdsman" or "keeper." This suggests that the original bearers of the surname were those employed as park-keepers or those residing near a park or enclosed area.

The name Parkes can be traced back to the 11th century, with early recorded instances of the surname appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086. One notable entry includes a Richard Parkes, who held lands in Lincolnshire during the Norman conquest. Additionally, the surname has various spellings in historical records, such as Parke, Parkes, and Parks.

In the 13th century, the name was well-established in Cheshire and Lancashire, with records showing families bearing the name in these regions. One notable figure from this period was Sir John Parkes (c. 1235-1295), a knight and landowner in Cheshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Parkes surname spread across England, with families establishing themselves in various counties. One prominent individual was Sir Thomas Parkes (1560-1633), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London, who served as Lord Mayor of the city in 1620.

In the 18th century, the Parkes name continued to flourish, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. These included Thomas Parkes (1671-1730), a renowned architect responsible for designing several buildings in London, and Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896), a prominent Australian statesman and politician, often referred to as the "Father of Federation."

Other notable individuals with the Parkes surname include Walter Parkes (1865-1935), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex and England, and Fanny Parkes (1794-1875), a British writer and travel writer who documented her experiences in India.

The Parkes surname has been widely dispersed across various parts of the world, particularly in countries with strong British influence, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, its roots can be traced back to England, where it originated from various place names and occupational titles related to park-keeping or residing near enclosed areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parkes

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

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 Parkes 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 Parkes 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 Parkes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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