2000
#3,240
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,130
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.76
Uncommon Last name
Parry
An English and Welsh surname derived from the given name Harry or Henry, or from the Welsh ap Harry, meaning "son of Harry."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,895 Americans carry the last name Parry. That puts it at #3,375 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.47 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,815 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Parry 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 Parry with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,815
Census rank
#3,375
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,373 bearers of the surname Parry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.47 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3375th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Parry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Parry
The surname Parry originated in Wales, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Welsh word "parry," which means "to go through" or "to pass." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a pass or traveled frequently through mountain passes.
The name Parry is found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pari." This early spelling variation highlights the name's Welsh roots and its evolution over time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Parry was Rhys ap Harry, a Welsh landowner who lived in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Parry (c. 1515-1560), a Welsh diplomat and member of the Privy Council of Queen Elizabeth I.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Parry family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in several counties of Wales, including Flintshire, Denbighshire, and Montgomeryshire. The name was also associated with several place names in Wales, such as Parry's Court in Monmouthshire.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname Parry was Sir William Edward Parry (1790-1855), a renowned British naval officer and Arctic explorer. He led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the early 19th century and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
Another notable figure was Joseph Parry (1841-1903), a Welsh composer and musician who is best known for his choral works and operas. He played a significant role in the revival of Welsh music and culture during the late 19th century.
Other individuals with the surname Parry who left their mark on history include Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918), an English composer and teacher who was influential in the renaissance of English music; Caleb Hillier Parry (1755-1822), a Welsh physician and writer; and John Parry (c. 1776-1851), a Welsh-born American explorer and trader who played a crucial role in the early fur trade in the Rocky Mountains.
The surname Parry has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, explorers, composers, and diplomats, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who carried this Welsh name through the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Parry
Among Census respondents with the surname Parry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Parry 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 Parry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 9,143
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 378
- Two or more races3.3% · 345
- Black or African American3.1% · 322
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 133
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 52
Timeline
Historical Census data for Parry
Parry 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
#3,383
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,555
+425 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 3.58
Rank movement Down 143 places
2020
#3,375
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,373
-182 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 3.47
Rank movement Up 8 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,240 | 10,130 | 3.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,383 | 10,555 | 3.58 | +425 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 143 places |
| 2020 | #3,375 | 10,373 | 3.47 | -182 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 8 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 Parry 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 | #3,383 | #3,375 | 0.2% |
| Count | 10,555 | 10,373 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 3.58 | 3.47 | -3.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Parry bearers went from 10,555 to 10,373 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 8 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,383 to #3,375.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Parry
FAQ
Parry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Parry?
Name Census estimates that about 11,895 living Americans carry the surname Parry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,815 residents.
How common is Parry?
Parry ranks #3,375 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.47 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,373 people with the surname Parry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,895), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.47 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.47 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Parry.
Has Parry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Parry went from 10,555 recorded bearers to 10,373. That is a decrease of 182 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,383 to #3,375.
What does the Census say about the background of Parry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Parry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Parry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (9,143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Parry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.3%). 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 Parry (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 Parry mean?
An English and Welsh surname derived from the given name Harry or Henry, or from the Welsh ap Harry, meaning "son of Harry." 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 Parry (3.47 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 Americans have the surname Parry?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.