NameCensus.

UK surname

Parmiter

A locational surname referring to someone from Parmenter, Normandy, France.

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Parmiter surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and East and West Tisbury, Wardour. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, West Dorset and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parmiter is 197 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

1911

197 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parmiter had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Parmiter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parmiter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parmiter 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 195 #15,380
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 150 #21,482
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 158 #20,952
2004 modern 159 #21,007
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 149 #23,372
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Parmiters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, East and West Tisbury, Wardour and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, West Dorset, Cheshire East, Richmond upon Thames and Thurrock. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 East and West Tisbury, Wardour Wiltshire
4 Swansea Glamorganshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 012 Rugby
2 West Dorset 008 West Dorset
3 Cheshire East 016 Cheshire East
4 Richmond upon Thames 012 Richmond upon Thames
5 Thurrock 002 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parmiter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parmiter

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Parmiter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Parmiter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Parmiter is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parmiter is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parmiter falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parmiter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Parmiter

The surname Parmiter is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, where variations of the name, such as Parmunter and Parminter, were first recorded.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "pærman" and "munter," meaning "parman" and "monk," respectively. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been associated with monasteries or religious orders, possibly as lay workers or servants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Parmentarius." This entry refers to a person living in Oxfordshire during the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Parmentar, Parmentre, and Parminter, in historical records from Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. These early spellings reflect the evolution of the name over time.

Notable individuals bearing the Parmiter surname include:

1. Robert Parmiter (c. 1550-1630), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who served as a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers in Bristol.

2. John Parmiter (c. 1610-1670), an English politician and member of the House of Commons, representing the borough of Cirencester in Gloucestershire.

3. William Parmiter (1677-1745), a prominent figure in the Church of England, who served as the Archdeacon of Ely from 1721 until his death.

4. Thomas Parmiter (1723-1798), a noted English architect and surveyor, best known for his work on several country houses and estates in the Cotswolds region.

5. Sarah Parmiter (1785-1860), an English diarist and writer, whose journals provide valuable insights into the social and cultural life of the early 19th century.

The Parmiter surname has maintained a presence throughout English history, with various branches and variations emerging across different regions. While its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, the name has endured and continues to be carried by families today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parmiter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parmiter 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. Hampshire leads with 40 Parmiters recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.04x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 40 15.04x
Dorset 27 31.71x
Middlesex 12 0.92x
Surrey 12 1.90x
Wiltshire 12 10.46x
Glamorgan 6 2.66x
Hertfordshire 6 6.71x
Essex 5 1.95x
Somerset 4 1.92x
Lincolnshire 3 1.45x
Gloucestershire 2 0.79x
Kent 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.70x
Northamptonshire 1 0.82x
Rutland 1 10.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wareham Lady St Mary in Dorset leads with 12 Parmiters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1818.18x.

Place Total Index
Wareham Lady St Mary 12 1818.18x
Anstey 8 6153.85x
Millbrook 8 119.40x
Portsea 8 15.35x
Lambeth 7 6.19x
Islington London 6 4.77x
St Mary Kalendar 6 1090.91x
Swansea Town 6 32.40x
Sawbridgeworth 5 370.37x
Southampton St Mary 5 29.90x
Streatham 5 51.92x
Halstock 4 2000.00x
Romsey Infra 4 444.44x
Spetisbury 4 1666.67x
St Swithin Winchester 4 5714.29x
Stoke Newington London 4 39.56x
Ash Priors 3 3333.33x
Broadwinsor 3 535.71x
Chelmsford 3 68.34x
Wardour 3 882.35x
Bourn 2 119.05x
Wareham Holy Trinity 2 540.54x
Bexley 1 25.58x
Bristol St James In 1 26.74x
Chelsea London 1 2.56x
Devizes St John 1 116.28x
Dorchester All Sts 1 243.90x
Droxford 1 99.01x
Felstead 1 113.64x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 105.26x
Hemel Hempstead 1 24.81x
Holdenhurst 1 14.33x
Kinson 1 60.24x
Loughborough 1 15.31x
Maldon St Peter 1 76.92x
Oakham Lordshold 1 100.00x
Petersfield 1 136.99x
St Maurice Winchester 1 90.09x
St Nicholas 1 625.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.96x
St Peterat Arches 1 416.67x
Whatley 1 526.32x
Whittlebury 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Charles 4
George 4
Philip 4
William 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Cecil 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Stanislaus 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
James 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Phillip 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Spurrier 1
Thos.W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Parmiter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parmiter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Parmiter surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parmiter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Parmiter a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Parmiter surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Parmenter, Normandy, France.

What does the Parmiter map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Parmiter 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.