UK surname
An English surname derived from the Old English words meaning "park keeper" or "keeper of an enclosed area of land".
In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Parken surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #19,083 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, St Marylebone and St Dominick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parken is 417 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 78.3%.
1881 census count
106
Ranked #19,083
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1861
417 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Parken surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Parken surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 133 | #14,106 |
| 1861 | historical | 417 | #6,163 |
| 1881 | historical | 106 | #19,083 |
| 1891 | historical | 374 | #9,343 |
| 1901 | historical | 100 | #22,863 |
| 1911 | historical | 167 | #16,692 |
| 1997 | modern | 28 | #34,904 |
| 1998 | modern | 26 | #35,254 |
| 1999 | modern | 30 | #34,939 |
| 2000 | modern | 28 | #35,080 |
| 2001 | modern | 29 | #34,839 |
| 2002 | modern | 27 | #35,243 |
| 2003 | modern | 25 | #35,471 |
| 2004 | modern | 22 | #35,878 |
| 2005 | modern | 22 | #35,993 |
| 2006 | modern | 19 | #36,323 |
| 2007 | modern | 18 | #36,537 |
| 2008 | modern | 20 | #36,443 |
| 2009 | modern | 23 | #36,313 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 21 | #36,502 |
| 2012 | modern | 24 | #36,288 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 24 | #36,358 |
| 2015 | modern | 23 | #36,424 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, St Marylebone, St Dominick, Sheffield and Calstock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | Durham |
| 2 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | St Dominick | Cornwall |
| 4 | Sheffield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | Calstock | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Parken surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Parken, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Parken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Parken household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Parken is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parken is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Parken, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Parken has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Parken, a small village in Lancashire. The name may have originated from the Old English words "pearroc," meaning a small enclosed area, and "ing," a common suffix denoting a place or location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Parken can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which mention a William de Parken. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also make reference to a John de Parken in Oxfordshire. These early records suggest that the name was well-established in various parts of England by the 13th century.
In the 14th century, the Parken surname appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John de Parken was listed in 1322. This record indicates that the name may have been associated with landowners or tenant farmers in the region.
The Parken surname has also been linked to the village of Parkend in Gloucestershire, which was formerly known as Parken. This connection is evidenced by the mention of a Thomas de Parken in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.
Notable individuals with the surname Parken include:
1. Robert Parken (c. 1540-1612), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Balliol College, Oxford. 2. William Parken (1638-1701), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of the Gregorian calendar. 3. Elizabeth Parken (1684-1733), a British writer and poet who published several works under the pseudonym "Eliza." 4. John Parken (1745-1825), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament. 5. Thomas Parken (1823-1892), a British industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Parken Steel Company in Sheffield.
While the Parken surname may have evolved from various place names and local references across England, its origins can be traced back to the late 12th century, with a concentration of early records found in the northern and western regions of the country.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parken surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 41 Parkens recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.03x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 41 | 35.03x |
| Yorkshire | 22 | 2.15x |
| Hampshire | 7 | 3.30x |
| Cambridgeshire | 6 | 9.16x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 4.31x |
| Cumberland | 5 | 5.62x |
| Derbyshire | 5 | 3.09x |
| Devon | 5 | 2.32x |
| Middlesex | 3 | 0.29x |
| Suffolk | 3 | 2.38x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.33x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.49x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Dominick in Cornwall leads with 30 Parkens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10344.83x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St Dominick | 30 | 10344.83x |
| Calstock | 10 | 434.78x |
| Brampton Bierlow | 9 | 687.02x |
| Elland Cum Greetland | 7 | 151.52x |
| Holdenhurst | 7 | 125.90x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 6 | 16.65x |
| Castle Camps | 5 | 1612.90x |
| Hopton | 5 | 12500.00x |
| Penrith | 5 | 151.98x |
| Helion Bumpstead | 3 | 1111.11x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 3 | 31.65x |
| Huddleston Cum Lumby | 2 | 2500.00x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 3.48x |
| Sheffield | 2 | 6.13x |
| Barnstaple | 1 | 29.59x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 1 | 10.27x |
| Carlton In Skipton | 1 | 166.67x |
| Ecclesfield | 1 | 13.32x |
| Esh | 1 | 44.64x |
| Finchingfield | 1 | 156.25x |
| Hampton London | 1 | 58.82x |
| Linton | 1 | 161.29x |
| Liskeard | 1 | 51.02x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 6.64x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Parken surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Parken surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Parken households.
FAQ
In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Parken surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Parken a modern rank of #36,457.
An English surname derived from the Old English words meaning "park keeper" or "keeper of an enclosed area of land".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Parken bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.