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Parrish History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Parrish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Parrish is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from the Saxon tribe called Parisii who originally lived beside the Humber river in Lincolnshire. However, the name may also be of Norman descent as shown by the rather obvious reference to Paris, France. In this case, records show that William, Roger, Walter and Odelina Paris in a Normandy Roll 1180-1185. And about the same time, Hugo, Peter de Paris was listed in England c. 1198. 1

Early Origins of the Parrish family

The surname Parrish was first found in Lincolnshire where one of the first records of the name was Lotyn de Paris in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls list Robert de Paris in London and Ralph de Paris in Kent. Roger de Paris and Simon de Paris were both listed as living in London during the reign of Edward I. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Johannes de Parys.2

Somerset had an entry for the family: John Parys, who was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 3

John Parisshe, Pareys was listed in Lincolnshire in 1462. Paris Hall in North Weald Bassett, Essex was named from Richard de Paris (1276), and is later recorded as Parrishe in 1593. "This development of final sh from s is found in other names including in 1319 in Wrabenash for Wrabness." 4

By the late 12th century they were granted lands in Scotland by King David and Walter Paris was Bishop of Glasgow in 1202. John Paris rendered homage to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. Edward Paris was one of those who helped burn down the town of Dumbarton. Elspeth Parris of West Lothian was accused of witchcraft in 1624 (which usually meant she was unwilling to convert her religion). 5

Early History of the Parrish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parrish research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1259, 1526, 1582, 1609, 1653, 1666, 1682, 1692, 1720, 1735, 1743 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Parrish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Parrish Spelling Variations

Parrish has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Parrish have been found, including Paris, Parish, Parris, Parrish, Pares and others.

Early Notables of the Parrish family

Distinguished members of the family include Matthew Paris (circa 1200-1259), English Benedictine monk at St Albans, known as a chronicler and manuscript illuminator; James Paris du Plessis (c.1666-1735), English servant of the famous diarist Samuel Pepys; Samuel Parris (1653-1720), the Puritan minister in Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Parrish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Parrish Ranking

In the United States, the name Parrish is the 600^th most popular surname with an estimated 49,740 people with that name. 6

Parrish migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Parrishs to arrive on North American shores:

Parrish Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Parrish, aged 26, who arrived in Plymouth, New England aboard the ship "Charity" in 1622 7
John Parrish, who settled in Virginia in 1653
Edward Parrish, who settled in Maryland in 1655
Robert Parrish, who arrived in Maryland in 1669 7

Parrish Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Parrish, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 7

Parrish Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

David Parrish, who settled in Philadelphia in 1812

Parrish migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Parrish Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Parrish, (b. 1859), aged 2 weeks, English settler, from Gloucestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 8
Mrs. Mary Ann Parrish, (b. 1831), aged 28, English settler, from Gloucestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 8
Mr. Thomas Parrish, (b. 1835), aged 24, English labourer, from Gloucestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 8
Miss Mary Ann Parrish, (b. 1858), aged 1, English settler, from Gloucestershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 8
Mark Parrish, aged 25, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Parrish (post 1700) +

Stanley Paul Parrish (1946-2022), American football player and head coach at Ball State University from 2009 to 2010
Janel Meilani Parrish Long (b. 1988), American actress and singer-songwriter, best known for starring as Mona Vanderwaal in the mystery-drama franchise Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017, 2019) and as Margot Covey in the To All the Boys film series (2018–2021)
Julie Parrish (1940-2003), born Ruby Joyce Wilbar, an American actress, known for Mannix (1967), Return to Peyton Place (1972) and Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966)
Hunter Parrish Tharp (b. 1987), American actor and singer, best known for playing the role of Silas Botwin in the Showtime series Weeds and for his performances in the Broadway productions of Godspell in the role of Jesus and Spring Awakening as Melchior
Dean Parrish (1942-2021), born Phil Anastasi, an American soul singer from New York City
Manuel "Man" Joseph Parrish (b. 1958), American composer, songwriter, vocalist and producer
Lance Michael Parrish (b. 1956), American former Major League Baseball catcher
Robert R. Parrish (1916-1995), American Academy Award winning actor, film editor, film director, and writer
Dwight Parrish (b. 1972), retired American professional ice hockey player
Larry Alton Parrish (b. 1953), American Major League Baseball player
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Parrish family +

Empress of Ireland

Miss Florence Parrish (1912-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9
Master Albert Harry Parrish (1907-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9
Mrs. Florence Ellen Parrish (1882-1914), née Baker Canadian Third Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 9

HMS Cornwall

Albert Parrish (d. 1942), British Ordinary Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 10

HMS Royal Oak

William Henry Parrish (1913-1939), British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 11

RMS Titanic

Mrs. Lutie Davis Parrish, née Temple, aged 60, American Second Class passenger from Woodford County, Kentucky who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 12 12

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. Albert Parrish (b. 1884), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died

SS Atlantic

Alex Parrish, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html