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

Parsi, 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 Parsi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Parsi in America

Parsi is the 67519th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Parsi surname appeared 292 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Parsi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Parsi 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 Parsi

The surname "PARSI" originated from the Persian language and is associated with the Parsi community, a group of Zoroastrians who migrated to India from Persia (modern-day Iran) during the 8th century AD. The name is derived from the Persian word "Pars," which refers to the region of Persia.

The Parsi community settled primarily in the western regions of India, particularly in Gujarat and Mumbai (formerly Bombay). The surname "PARSI" became prevalent among this community as a means of identifying their Persian heritage and distinguishing themselves from other ethnic groups in India.

Historical records and manuscripts from ancient Persia, such as the Avesta and Pahlavi texts, mention the term "Pars" or "Parsi" in reference to the people and culture of the region. However, the earliest known documented use of the surname "PARSI" itself dates back to the 16th century, when Parsi migrants began establishing themselves in India.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "PARSI" can be found in the records of the Parsi Punchayat, a governing body established in 1675 to manage the affairs of the Parsi community in Bombay. Notable individuals bearing the surname "PARSI" include:

1. Dadabhai Naoroji (1825-1917), a prominent Parsi scholar, political leader, and the first Asian to be elected to the British Parliament.
2. Jamshedji Nusserwanji Parsi (1833-1901), a Parsi businessman and philanthropist who founded the Parsi Gymkhana in Mumbai.
3. Dinshaw Maneckji Parsi (1865-1935), a Parsi industrialist and one of the founders of the Tata Group, a prominent Indian conglomerate.
4. Ardeshir Parsi (1877-1953), a Parsi scholar and author known for his works on Zoroastrianism and Parsi history.
5. Dina Parsi (1903-1985), a Parsi artist and sculptor who is renowned for her depictions of Parsi culture and traditions.

The surname "PARSI" is also closely associated with various place names in India, particularly in regions with a significant Parsi population. For example, the Parsi Colony in Mumbai and the Parsi Bazaar in Surat are areas historically inhabited by members of the Parsi community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Parsi

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

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

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

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