Explore the Family Name Parke

The meaning of Parke

English: variant of Park. This form of the surname is common in Ireland.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Parke in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Parke" has seen a slight increase between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 7310 but rose to 7031 in 2010, showing a change of 3.82%. The count of individuals bearing the name also increased from 4201 in 2000 to 4759 in 2010, reflecting a growth rate of 13.28%. Likewise, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 population slightly increased from 1.56 in 2000 to 1.61 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#7,310#7,0313.82%
Count4,2014,75913.28%
Proportion per 100k1.561.613.21%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Parke

When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes in the distribution amongst those with the surname "Parke". Between 2000 and 2010, there was an increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 1.14% to 1.39%) and those claiming two or more races (from 1.52% to 1.81%). The biggest jump was seen in the Hispanic group which increased from 1.14% to 2.48%, showing a vast change of 117.54%. However, a decrease was noted amongst those identifying as White (from 89.48% to 88.17%), Black (from 6.36% to 5.93%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.36% to 0.23%).

20002010Change
White89.48%88.17%-1.46%
Black6.36%5.93%-6.76%
Hispanic1.14%2.48%117.54%
Two or More Races1.52%1.81%19.08%
Asian/Pacific Islander1.14%1.39%21.93%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.36%0.23%-36.11%

Parke ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Parke is British & Irish, which comprises 54.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.8%) and Eastern European (5.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, and Nigerian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish54.3%
French & German22.8%
Eastern European5.6%
Other17.3%
Parke

Possible origins of the surname Parke

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Parke have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom83.70%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom83.70%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom83.70%
Lancashire, United Kingdom83.70%
Greater London, United Kingdom83.70%

What Parke haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Parke is R-S1688, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S1688 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-M170 and E-P179, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Barnett, Dewitt, Parks, Barnette, Banner, Drake, Easton, Glick, Smythe, Harman.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Parke surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

parkePaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI

The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Parke have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Parke

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Parke" Surname 34.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Parke

Cheek Dimples

Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.

"Parke" Surname 29.2%

23andMe Users 37.6%

Habits

Parke

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Parke" Surname 20.8%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Parke

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Parke" Surname 18.6%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Parke?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Parke are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%