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

Parma, 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 Parma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parma in America

Parma is the 33772nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parma surname appeared 674 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Parma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parma 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 Parma

The surname Parma is of Italian origin, dating back to the medieval period. It originated from the city of Parma, located in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The name is derived from the Latin word 'Parma,' which referred to a small, round shield used by ancient Roman soldiers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Parma can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Parmensis, a collection of medieval documents from the city of Parma, dating back to the 11th century. The name appears in various forms, such as "de Parma" or "Parmensi," indicating a person's association with the city.

During the 13th century, a notable figure named Guido da Parma (c. 1230-1292) was a prominent Italian painter and architect who contributed to the development of the Gothic style in Italy. He was responsible for designing several churches and buildings in Parma and other cities in the region.

In the 14th century, the surname Parma gained further prominence with the birth of Jacopo Parma (c. 1350-1415), an Italian painter and miniaturist from Parma. He is best known for his illuminated manuscripts and frescoes, which adorned various churches and buildings in his hometown.

Another notable figure from Parma was Pier Maria Rossi (1413-1482), a nobleman and condottiero (mercenary captain) who served as the ruler of Parma and other territories in northern Italy during the Renaissance period.

In the 16th century, the surname Parma was associated with the House of Farnese, a prominent Italian noble family that ruled the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza from 1545 to 1731. One of the most famous members of this family was Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589), a prominent military leader and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands.

During the 17th century, the composer and theorist Vincenzo Parma (c. 1630-1690) gained recognition for his contributions to the development of the opera and his writings on music theory. He was born in Parma and spent much of his career in the service of the Farnese family.

Throughout history, the surname Parma has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, nobles, and military leaders. Its connection to the city of Parma and the rich cultural heritage of the region has made it a distinctive Italian surname with a long and storied past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parma

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

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

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

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