Explore the Family Name Parrish
The meaning of Parrish
English (mainly southern): from the Old French habitational name and personal name Paris. Parrish is the most common form of the name in English, and is the result of confusion between -s and -sh (compare Norris), reinforced by folk etymological association with the modern English word parish.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Parrish in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Parrish has seen a slight decline over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Parrish was ranked as the 632nd most popular surname, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 694th position—a decrease of approximately 9.81%. Despite this fall in ranking, the actual count of people with the Parrish surname increased slightly from 48,823 to 49,733, marking an increase of about 1.86%. The proportion per 100k population also decreased by 6.85%, from 18.1 in 2000 to 16.86 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #632 | #694 | -9.81% |
| Count | 48,823 | 49,733 | 1.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 18.1 | 16.86 | -6.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Parrish
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Parrish, the Decennial U.S. Census figures show some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The largest group identifying as Parrish remained those of White ethnicity, although their percentage decreased slightly from 81.95% to 80.21%. An increase was seen in those identifying as Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian, and Alaskan Native, albeit these groups are significantly smaller in comparison to the White majority. Notably, the Hispanic ethnicity saw the most significant increase at 37.67%. Also, individuals identifying with two or more races increased from 1.52% to 1.84%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.95% | 80.21% | -2.12% |
| Black | 13.54% | 14.18% | 4.73% |
| Hispanic | 1.46% | 2.01% | 37.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1.52% | 1.84% | 21.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.16% | 1.26% | 8.62% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.49% | 28.95% |
Parrish 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 Parrish is British & Irish, which comprises 55.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.0%) and Eastern European (3.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.4% |
| French & German | 24.0% |
| Eastern European | 3.3% |
| Other | 17.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Parrish
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 Parrish have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.90% |
What Parrish 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 Parrish is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M167 and R-L1066.1, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Parish, Millard, Funk, Barger, Bradshaw, Jolly, Garland, Hoskins, Brink, Ackerman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Parrish surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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.
What do people with the surname Parrish 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
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Parrish" Surname 42.7%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Parrish" Surname 22.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Parrish" Surname 23.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Parrish" Surname 18.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Parrish?
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 Parrish are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition