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

Parrish, 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 Parrish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parrish in America

Parrish is the 694th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parrish surname appeared 49,733 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Parrish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parrish 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 Parrish

The surname Parrish originated in England and is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'parroc' or 'pearroc', meaning a small enclosed area or park. It is believed to have first emerged in the counties of Hampshire and Dorset in southern England during the late medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Parrok' and 'Paroch'. Other early spellings include 'Parrock', 'Parroc', and 'Parrok'. These variations likely reflect the different regional dialects and pronunciations of the time.

In the 13th century, the name Parrish began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a John de Parrok in Oxfordshire. The Pipe Rolls of 1195 also make reference to a Robert de Parrok in Gloucestershire.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Parrish include Sir John Parrish (1609-1675), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles II. Another prominent figure was Joseph Parrish (1779-1840), an American Quaker minister and abolitionist who worked tirelessly to end slavery in the United States.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Parrish was often associated with certain place names, such as Parrish's Farm in Hertfordshire and Parrish's Manor in Norfolk. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the surname Parrish.

Other noteworthy individuals with this surname include Walter Parrish (1841-1904), an American architect known for designing several notable buildings in New York City, and Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), a renowned American painter and illustrator renowned for his distinctive and vibrant style.

Throughout its history, the surname Parrish has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the southern counties, as well as in the United States, where it was carried by early English settlers and immigrants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parrish

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

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

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

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