NameCensus.

UK surname

Parnham

A locational surname derived from a place called Parnham in Dorset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 636 people recorded with the Parnham surname, ranking it #5,582 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,053, ranked #5,540, up from #5,582 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Colston Basset and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Wiltshire and Gedling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parnham is 1,108 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.6%.

1881 census count

636

Ranked #5,582

Modern count

1,053

2016, ranked #5,540

Peak year

2000

1,108 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parnham had 636 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,582 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,053 in 2016, ranked #5,540.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 988 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Parnham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parnham surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Parnham 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 458 #5,402
1861 historical 477 #5,465
1881 historical 636 #5,582
1891 historical 762 #5,234
1901 historical 869 #5,268
1911 historical 988 #4,579
1997 modern 1,018 #5,412
1998 modern 1,070 #5,373
1999 modern 1,102 #5,278
2000 modern 1,108 #5,239
2001 modern 1,062 #5,318
2002 modern 1,056 #5,448
2003 modern 1,013 #5,534
2004 modern 1,045 #5,416
2005 modern 1,018 #5,468
2006 modern 1,012 #5,510
2007 modern 1,026 #5,497
2008 modern 1,043 #5,455
2009 modern 1,059 #5,508
2010 modern 1,059 #5,605
2011 modern 1,062 #5,534
2012 modern 1,050 #5,494
2013 modern 1,067 #5,523
2014 modern 1,085 #5,471
2015 modern 1,064 #5,514
2016 modern 1,053 #5,540

Geography

Back to top

Where Parnhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Colston Basset, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Wiltshire, Gedling and Barnsley. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Colston Basset Nottinghamshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 012 North East Derbyshire
2 Wiltshire 041 Wiltshire
3 Gedling 011 Gedling
4 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
5 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Parnham

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Parnham

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Parnham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Parnham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Parnham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parnham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parnham 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 Parnham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Parnham

The surname Parnham is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "pearn" meaning a pear tree, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village. This indicates that the name likely originated from a place where pear trees grew abundantly, or a settlement known for its pear orchards.

The earliest known record of the name Parnham dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Pernham" in Dorset, England. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location in that county.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Parnham" and "Pernam" in various parts of southern England, particularly in Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and scribal errors in transcribing the name.

One notable bearer of the Parnham surname was Sir John Parnham, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Somerset in the late 15th century. He was involved in the wool trade and held significant influence in the region.

Another individual of note was William Parnham, born in Dorset in 1602. He was a Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s, becoming an influential figure in the early days of the colony.

In the 18th century, the Parnham family had a presence in the village of Parnham, located in the Dorset parish of Beaminster. This lends credence to the theory that the surname originated from a place name in that area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Parnham name in literature is in the 16th century work "The Voyage of Sir Francis Drake Around the World," where a sailor named Thomas Parnham is mentioned as part of Drake's crew.

Throughout the centuries, the Parnham surname has been associated with various occupations, including landowners, merchants, clergymen, and sailors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Parnham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parnham 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 293 Parnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.98x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 293 34.98x
Yorkshire 67 1.09x
Lincolnshire 63 6.34x
Derbyshire 49 5.04x
Leicestershire 49 7.11x
Middlesex 27 0.43x
Warwickshire 24 1.53x
Kent 15 0.71x
Essex 11 0.90x
Lancashire 10 0.14x
Surrey 7 0.23x
Glamorgan 5 0.46x
Dumfriesshire 3 2.19x
Denbighshire 2 0.85x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Staffordshire 2 0.10x
Sussex 2 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 1.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bottesford in Leicestershire leads with 33 Parnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1166.08x.

Place Total Index
Bottesford 33 1166.08x
Nottingham St Mary 32 14.77x
Colston Bassett 25 3787.88x
Worksop 23 92.59x
Basford 20 51.81x
Birmingham 20 3.83x
Mexborough 18 147.30x
Ancaster 14 1007.19x
Newark Upon Trent 13 43.19x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 12 163.27x
St Swithin Lincoln 12 76.82x
Radford 11 25.85x
Shirland 11 151.10x
Whatton 11 1833.33x
Skegby 10 194.93x
Alfreton 9 30.46x
Brightside Bierlow 9 7.45x
Cropwell Bishop 9 666.67x
Mansfield 9 31.06x
Farnsfield 8 360.36x
Great Grimsby 8 12.69x
Langar 8 888.89x
Torworth 8 1702.13x
Aslockton 7 813.95x
Bulwell 7 38.44x
Long Eaton 7 54.52x
Nether Hallam 7 8.40x
Sheffield 7 3.57x
Snenton 7 21.27x
Arnold 6 49.06x
Hasland 6 60.61x
Ilkeston 6 22.00x
Leyton 6 28.40x
Sutton On Trent 6 292.68x
Upton 6 566.04x
West Derby 6 2.78x
Woolley 6 468.75x
Aberdare 5 6.73x
Balderton 5 218.34x
Bingham 5 140.45x
Claylane 5 36.98x
Cotgrave 5 287.36x
Croxton Keyrial 5 427.35x
Eastwood 5 66.76x
Isleworth 5 18.10x
Kinoulton 5 714.29x
Low Leyton 5 454.55x
Maidstone 5 7.92x
Orston 5 485.44x
Redmile 5 480.77x
Sandiacre 5 144.09x
Thurgarton 5 714.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.48x
Fulbeck 4 291.97x
Hammersmith London 4 2.61x
Lambley 4 233.92x
Mile End Old Town 4 4.08x
Muston 4 606.06x
Ollerton 4 229.89x
Quarrington 4 519.48x
Queenborough 4 190.48x
Barkstone 3 283.02x
Camberwell 3 0.76x
Carlton 3 31.38x
Islington London 3 0.50x
Kensington London 3 0.87x
Lambeth 3 0.55x
Strood 3 24.81x
Chelsea London 2 1.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 1.60x
Edgbaston 2 4.12x
Holy Trinity 2 1.35x
Hucknall Torkard 2 9.42x
Lenton 2 10.14x
Nottingham Standard 2 93.46x
Paddington London 2 0.88x
Ruabon 2 6.20x
Shelford Saxondale 2 175.44x
Westminster St James 2 3.13x
Wigtoft 2 138.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Sarah 46
Elizabeth 19
Ann 17
Charlotte 10
Eliza 10
Emma 10
Annie 9
Alice 8
Hannah 8
Fanny 7
Anne 6
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Maria 5
Ellen 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Ruth 4
Ada 3
Emily 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Esther 2
Francis 2
Harriott 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Susan 2
Catherine 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellener 1
Emila 1
Ethel 1
Euphemia 1
Fany 1
Hariett 1
Harriot 1
Jemima 1
Kizia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 54
William 52
George 31
Thomas 23
Robert 14
Samuel 13
Henry 12
Arthur 10
Charles 10
Joseph 9
Walter 8
James 5
Richard 5
Edward 4
Fred 4
Harry 4
Thos. 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Tom 3
Aaron 2
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Edwin 2
Peter 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Cecil 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Gulson 1
H. 1
Hubert 1
J.F. 1
J.H. 1
Jesse 1
Josh. 1
Kirby 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Obed 1
Ralph 1
Rueben 1
Stephen 1
Steven 1
W.Robert 1
Will.T. 1

FAQ

Parnham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parnham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 636 people were recorded with the Parnham surname. That placed it at #5,582 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parnham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,053 in 2016. That gives Parnham a modern rank of #5,540.

What does the Parnham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place called Parnham in Dorset, England.

What does the Parnham map show?

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