Explore the Family Name Parsons
The meaning of Parsons
1. English: occupational name for the servant of a parish priest or parson, from the possessive case of Middle English persone, parsoun (see Parson). 2. English: many early examples are found with the prepositions (e.g. Ralph del Persones 1323); these are habitational names, with the omission of house, hence in effect occupational names for servants employed at the parson’s house. 3. English: post-medieval variant of Parson, with excrescent -s. Alternatively, Parson may be a shortened form of Parsons. 4. Irish: usually of English origin (see above), but sometimes a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Phearsain, which is of Highland Scottish origin (see McPherson). History: Members of an Irish family called Parsons were twice created earl of Rosse, first in 1718 and again in 1806. They settled in Ireland c.1590, when two brothers, William and Laurence Parsons, were granted large estates. Birr Castle, Parsonstown, became the family seat. Samuel Holden Parsons, born Lyme, CT, in 1737 was a Connecticut legislator and revolutionary war officer. Theophilius Parsons (1750–1813) was born in Byfield, MA, and was chief justice of the MA supreme court (1806–13); his son, also Theophilius, was a professor at Harvard Law School (1848–69).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Parsons in the United States?
In terms of popularity, the surname "Parsons" saw a minor change over a decade as per data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was the 453rd most common last name in the United States, but by 2010, it had dropped to the 498th position, marking a decrease of 9.93%. However, the number of people carrying the "Parsons" surname rose slightly from 66,203 in 2000 to 67,310 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of 1.67%. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also decreased by 7.01%, moving from 24.54 in 2000 to 22.82 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #453 | #498 | -9.93% |
| Count | 66,203 | 67,310 | 1.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 24.54 | 22.82 | -7.01% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Parsons
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Parsons" evolved somewhat between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of people with this surname identified as White (92.71%). By 2010, although the majority still identified as White, the percentage had decreased slightly to 91.09%. There were increases in all other ethnic categories over the decade: Asian/Pacific Islander went from 0.41% to 0.60%, those identifying as two or more races increased from 1.41% to 1.75%, Hispanic identification grew from 1.51% to 2.27%, Black identification increased slightly from 3.39% to 3.60%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native went from 0.57% to 0.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.71% | 91.09% | -1.75% |
| Black | 3.39% | 3.6% | 6.19% |
| Hispanic | 1.51% | 2.27% | 50.33% |
| Two or More Races | 1.41% | 1.75% | 24.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.57% | 0.67% | 17.54% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.6% | 46.34% |
Parsons 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 Parsons is British & Irish, which comprises 56.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.6%) and Scandinavian (4.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.4% |
| French & German | 24.6% |
| Scandinavian | 4.0% |
| Other | 15.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Parsons
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 Parsons have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 90.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 89.80% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 89.70% |
What Parsons 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 Parsons is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M467 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Reed, West, Rose, Baker, Dickson, Harrison, Mason, Turner, Hill, Martin.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Parsons 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 Parsons 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.
"Parsons" Surname 43.5%
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.
"Parsons" Surname 28.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Parsons" Surname 20.4%
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.
"Parsons" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Parsons?
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 Parsons are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition