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

Parris, 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 Parris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parris in America

Parris is the 2839th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parris surname appeared 12,710 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Parris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parris 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 Parris

The surname Parris is of English origin, derived from the French word "parra," meaning a small enclosed area or park. It is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name was initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked in enclosed parks or estates. It may have been used as an occupational surname for those employed as park keepers or groundskeepers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a "Robert de Parris." This suggests that the name was already in use in the 12th century.

The Parris surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which contains records of landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. The name is listed as "Parres," which is likely an early spelling variation.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a "William de Parris." This indicates the name's widespread use across different regions of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Parris throughout history include Samuel Parris (1653-1720), a Puritan minister in Salem, Massachusetts, who played a significant role in the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693.

Another prominent figure was John Parris (1567-1635), an English composer and organist who served as the Master of the Choristers at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Sir Walter Parris (1571-1622) was an English merchant and diplomat who served as the first English ambassador to the Mughal Empire in India during the reign of King James I.

John Parris (1765-1849) was a noted English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Guildhall in York and the Theatre Royal in Bath.

Lastly, John Parris (1776-1849) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 22nd Governor of Massachusetts from 1822 to 1827.

The Parris surname has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Paris, Parres, and Parry. It is also associated with certain place names, such as Parris Island in South Carolina, which was named after Alexander Parris, a prominent landowner in the area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parris

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!