Parsons Family History

English: occupational name for the servant of a parish priest or parson from the possessive case of Middle English persone parsoun (see Parson).

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.

English: post-medieval variant of Parson with excrescent -s. Alternatively Parson may be a shortened form of Parsons.

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).