2000
#13,830
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,005
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.74
Rare Last name
Parmley
Derived from a place name meaning "pear meadow" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a pear orchard.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,330 Americans carry the last name Parmley. That puts it at #14,183 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,105 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Parmley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Parmley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 147,105
Census rank
#14,183
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,032 bearers of the surname Parmley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14183rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Parmley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Parmley
The surname Parmley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "pærehm" and "leah," which collectively translate to "pear tree meadow" or "pear tree clearing." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or owned a meadow or clearing with pear trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Parmley can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk, dating back to the late 13th century. This ancient document mentions a William de Parmele, indicating the surname's presence in the region during that time period.
In the 15th century, the name appears to have evolved into various spellings, such as Parmeley, Parmely, and Parmly, as recorded in various tax rolls and parish records across various counties in England, including Essex, Suffolk, and Hertfordshire.
Notably, the Parmley surname is mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical record lists a landowner named Robertus de Parmele, suggesting the name's long-standing presence in England.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Parmley. One such example is John Parmley (1542-1611), a prominent English merchant and Member of Parliament for Gloucester in the late 16th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Parmley (1678-1743), a renowned jurist and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in the early 18th century.
In the literary realm, William Parmley (1788-1856) was an esteemed English poet and writer, known for his contributions to romantic poetry during the early 19th century. Additionally, Elizabeth Parmley (1820-1892) was a celebrated novelist and playwright whose works explored themes of social injustice and women's rights in Victorian England.
The Parmley surname has also been associated with notable figures in the fields of science and exploration. Sir Richard Parmley (1845-1921) was a renowned British explorer and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of flora and fauna in the Amazon region during the late 19th century.
These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the Parmley surname throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence in various areas of English society and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Parmley
Among Census respondents with the surname Parmley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Parmley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Parmley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 1,713
- Black or African American7.6% · 155
- Two or more races3.6% · 74
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Parmley
Parmley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,374
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,080
+75 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 544 places
2020
#14,183
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,032
-48 bearers (-2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Up 191 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,830 | 2,005 | 0.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,374 | 2,080 | 0.71 | +75 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 544 places |
| 2020 | #14,183 | 2,032 | 0.68 | -48 bearers (-2.3%) | Up 191 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Parmley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,374 | #14,183 | 1.3% |
| Count | 2,080 | 2,032 | -2.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.68 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Parmley bearers went from 2,080 to 2,032 (-2.3% change). The surname moved up 191 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,374 to #14,183.
FAQ
Parmley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Parmley?
Name Census estimates that about 2,330 living Americans carry the surname Parmley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,105 residents.
How common is Parmley?
Parmley ranks #14,183 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,032 people with the surname Parmley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,330), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Parmley.
Has Parmley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Parmley went from 2,080 recorded bearers to 2,032. That is a decrease of 48 (-2.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,374 to #14,183.
What does the Census say about the background of Parmley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Parmley, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Parmley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (1,713 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Parmley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Black (7.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Parmley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Parmley mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "pear meadow" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a pear orchard. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Parmley (0.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Parmley?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.