Show ContentsParfett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

  • Origins Available:
  • England
Parfett Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Parfett

What does the name Parfett mean?

Parfett is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The Parfett family lived in Parfitt (Parfait) in Normandy. Roger Perfectus or Parfait was listed there (1185-95) in the Mangn. Rotul. Scaccarii Normanniae. 1

The name was derived from Middle English "parfit" meaning "fully trained, well versed." The Old French version of the name was parfit(e) which meant "completed," from the Latin "perfectus", "to finish or accomplish." 2 "Parfit(i) and Parfett are the most common forms today. Perfect is fairly frequent but is late and due to the influence of the reconstructed, learned spelling of the adjective." 3

Alternatively the name could have been a nickname, probably originally denoting an apprentice who had completed his period of training.

Early Origins of the Parfett family

The surname Parfett was first found in Hampshire where Vnfridus parfait was recorded at Winton in 1115. A few years later, Richard Parfeit, Parfet was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Somerset in 1196 and later again, William Perfyt was listed in Herefordshire in 1383. 3

Other early records include Robert Parfyte who was listed in the Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem and Robert Parfite was listed in the Rolls of Parliament. 4

They acquired the lands of Bruton (anciently spelt Braueton) in Somerset which was the King's land even at the time of King Edward the Confessor in 1050. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book Bruton was a wealthy village containing six mills.

Early History of the Parfett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parfett research. Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1717, 1780, 1800, 1820, 1836, 1848, 1850, 1859, 1861, 1875 and 1893 are included under the topic Early Parfett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Parfett Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Perfect, Perfett, Perfitt, Parfitt, Parfect and others.

Early Notables of the Parfett family

Edward Parfitt (1820-1893), English naturalist, born at East Tuddenham, Norfolk, on 17 Oct. 1820, son of Edward Parfitt (1800-1875) by his wife, Violet Howlet (1800-1836). The father was head gardener to Lord Hastings. Parfitt was educated at East Tuddenham and Honingham, and studied gardening under his father; he then became successively gardener to Anthony Gwyn of Sennow Lodge, Norfolk, and John Hay Hill, Gressinghall House, near East Dereham, and subsequently went on a voyage for scientific purposes. He was wrecked near the Cape of Good Hope, and an enforced stay in the colony intensified his...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Parfett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Parfett migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Parfett or a variant listed above:

Parfett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Parfett, who landed in Maryland in 1638-1643 6

Parfett migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Third Fleet
  • Mr. James Parfett, (b. 1787), aged infant, British settler born aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 5
Following the Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Parfett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Parfett, British Convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he was murdered in 1828 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Parfett (post 1700) +

  • Matthew Parfett, American actor, known for his roles in Broken Hearts (2010), The Dark Chronicles (2011) and It's a Dog's Life (2009)
  • Edward John "Ned" Parfett (1896-1918), born in London England, he is best remembered for his photograph as a London newsboy reporting the Titanic disaster on Tuesday, 16 April, 1912; he died on October 29, 1918 in Valenciennes, France.
  • Sara Parfett (b. 1991), British contemporary rower at the 2020 Summer Olympics
  1. 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)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  6. 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)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent

Houseofnames.com on Facebook