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Parsons Family History

Parsons Surname Meaning

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).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Parsons family from?

You can see how Parsons families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Parsons family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Parsons families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 3,577 Parsons families living in London. This was about 16% of all the recorded Parsons's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Parsons families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Parsons surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Parsons ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Parsons. 6% of Parsons men worked as a General Labourer and 64% of Parsons women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Parsons were Gardener and Private Means.

View Census Data for Parsons | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Gardener
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    64%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Parsons family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 796,000 census records available for the last name Parsons. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Parsons census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Parsons

Passenger Lists

There are 97,000 immigration records available for the last name Parsons. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Parsons immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 101,000 military records available for the last name Parsons. For the veterans among your Parsons ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Parsons military records

You've only scratched the surface of Parsons family history

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What is the average Parsons lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Parsons life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Parsons in 1941 was 42, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Parsons

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Parsons ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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