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

Parshall, 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 Parshall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parshall in America

Parshall is the 16108th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parshall surname appeared 1,797 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Parshall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parshall 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 Parshall

The surname Parshall is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word 'pers', meaning a pear tree, and 'halh', meaning a nook or corner of land. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a pear tree or a cluster of pear trees.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221, where one Robert Perschal is mentioned. Other early variants include Perschall, Perschalle, and Pershale, reflecting the varied spellings common in medieval times.

In the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1275, a John Perschal is listed as a landowner, indicating the name was associated with some level of status or wealth at the time. The Parshall surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, suggesting its presence in different parts of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Parshall, who lived in the village of Buckland, Gloucestershire, in the late 13th century. His descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Parshall, a member of the gentry class in Gloucestershire, who was knighted in 1437 for his services during the Hundred Years' War. He was recorded as owning significant lands and properties in the region.

In the 16th century, the Parshall family had established itself in the county of Somerset, with records showing a William Parshall as a landowner in the village of Batcombe in 1564.

The name also appeared in various literary works, such as the play "The Tragedy of Nero" by Thomas May, published in 1624, where a character named Parshall is mentioned.

During the 17th century, several Parshalls emigrated to the American colonies, including John Parshall, who arrived in Virginia in 1635, and Thomas Parshall, who settled in Maryland in 1666.

Throughout its history, the Parshall surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, farmers, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers across different periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parshall

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

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

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

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