NameCensus.

UK surname

Parmer

An occupational surname referring to a tender of parks or someone who worked in a park.

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Parmer surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 84, ranked #32,726, down from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kington, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Enfield, Wakefield and Sutton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parmer is 324 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.3%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

84

2016, ranked #32,726

Peak year

1861

324 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1891

Key insights

  • Parmer had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 84 in 2016, ranked #32,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 324 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Parmer surname distribution map

The map shows where the Parmer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Parmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Parmer over time

The 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 324 #7,860
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 75 #25,852
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 62 #31,412
1998 modern 78 #30,192
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 70 #31,180
2001 modern 60 #31,985
2002 modern 76 #30,830
2003 modern 68 #31,689
2004 modern 68 #31,880
2005 modern 76 #31,267
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 87 #32,472
2014 modern 84 #32,823
2015 modern 82 #32,911
2016 modern 84 #32,726

Geography

Back to top

Where Parmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kington, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, St Marylebone and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Enfield, Wakefield, Sutton, Oadby and Wigston and Brent. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kington Radnorshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Enfield 012 Enfield
2 Wakefield 010 Wakefield
3 Sutton 009 Sutton
4 Oadby and Wigston 003 Oadby and Wigston
5 Brent 021 Brent

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Parmer

These lists show first names that appear often with the Parmer surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Parmer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Parmer, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Parmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Parmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Parmer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parmer is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parmer falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parmer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Parmer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Parmer

The surname Parmer is an English occupational name that originated from the Old French word "parmenter," meaning a maker or seller of embroidered accessories. This name traces its roots back to the 12th century, when it first appeared in England during the Norman Conquest.

The earliest recorded instance of the Parmer surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where one Robert le Parmunter is mentioned. Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Parmonter, Parmunter, and Parmiter. The surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, where many families with this occupation lived.

One notable historical figure bearing the Parmer surname was Sir Thomas Parmer (1508-1579), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Nottinghamshire. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1566 and was a prominent figure in the city's trade and commerce. Another distinguished individual was Robert Parmer (1633-1702), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 16th century, the Parmer surname can be found in the parish records of Wragby, Lincolnshire, with the entry of Christopher Parmer's marriage in 1582. The name also appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674, which recorded households in various counties, including those of John Parmer in Lincolnshire and William Parmer in Yorkshire.

A notable place name associated with the Parmer surname is Parmenter Street in London's Clerkenwell district, which likely derived its name from the presence of embroiderers and makers of embroidered goods in the area during the medieval period. Additionally, the village of Parmer in Oxfordshire, England, may have some connection to the surname, although the exact origin of the place name is uncertain.

Other individuals with the Parmer surname who left their mark on history include John Parmer (1704-1782), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Elizabeth Parmer (1718-1799), a celebrated author and poet whose works were widely published during the 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Parmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parmer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 19 Parmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.75x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 1.75x
Lancashire 12 0.93x
Warwickshire 11 4.03x
Surrey 10 1.90x
Monmouthshire 7 8.94x
Nottinghamshire 6 4.11x
Staffordshire 6 1.64x
Yorkshire 6 0.56x
Hampshire 3 1.35x
Kent 3 0.81x
Norfolk 3 1.80x
Northamptonshire 3 2.95x
Suffolk 3 2.28x
Sussex 3 1.64x
Cornwall 2 1.63x
Devon 2 0.89x
Hertfordshire 2 2.68x
Lincolnshire 2 1.16x
Bedfordshire 1 1.78x
Cheshire 1 0.42x
Derbyshire 1 0.59x
Essex 1 0.47x
Herefordshire 1 2.25x
Oxfordshire 1 1.50x
Shropshire 1 1.07x
Somerset 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 9 Parmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.57x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 9 15.57x
Christchurch 7 289.26x
Aston 5 6.65x
Basford 5 74.29x
Knowle 5 892.86x
Blackburn 4 11.70x
Lambeth 4 4.24x
Liverpool 4 5.13x
Handsworth 3 33.30x
Hollington 3 461.54x
Northampton Priory St 3 49.10x
Accrington 2 17.12x
Beddington 2 98.04x
Chelsea London 2 6.13x
Middlesbrough 2 14.32x
Norwich St Stephen 2 130.72x
Portsea 2 4.60x
Rickmansworth 2 97.56x
Shadwell London 2 66.01x
Stoke Climsland 2 256.41x
Tipton 2 17.87x
Tonbridge 2 15.02x
Toxteth Park 2 4.60x
Bawdrip 1 666.67x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.13x
Birmingham 1 1.10x
Bowling 1 9.41x
Brading 1 33.90x
Buckland Brewer 1 370.37x
Bures St Mary 1 312.50x
Chorley In Macclesfield 1 136.99x
Church Gresley 1 37.04x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.91x
Clifford 1 344.83x
Coningsby 1 200.00x
East Dereham 1 47.62x
Edmonton 1 11.47x
Eston 1 42.74x
Goxhill 1 3333.33x
Hackney London 1 1.65x
Hailey 1 212.77x
Kimberworth 1 16.81x
Kingswinford 1 7.54x
Kingswood 1 714.29x
Lewisham 1 5.08x
Mitcham 1 30.03x
Nottingham St Peter 1 61.35x
Paddington London 1 2.51x
Rotherhithe 1 7.47x
Sandy 1 101.01x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 1 192.31x
St George Martyr 1 54.95x
St Giles In The Wood 1 294.12x
Stratford St Mary 1 526.32x
Sutton St Mary 1 60.98x
Theberton 1 454.55x
West Ham 1 2.12x
Woking 1 31.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Parmer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 4
Ada 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Elizth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Helen 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rose 1
V.A. 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Parmer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Parmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Parmer surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 84 in 2016. That gives Parmer a modern rank of #32,726.

What does the Parmer surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a tender of parks or someone who worked in a park.

What does the Parmer map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Parmer bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.