NameCensus.

UK surname

Parrett

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "pear tree."

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Parrett surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 756, ranked #7,240, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Bishopston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Christchurch, Winchester and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parrett is 931 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.5%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

756

2016, ranked #7,240

Peak year

1911

931 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parrett had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016, ranked #7,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 931 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Parrett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parrett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parrett 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 439 #5,600
1861 historical 582 #4,530
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 756 #5,271
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 931 #4,819
1997 modern 769 #6,748
1998 modern 807 #6,709
1999 modern 813 #6,709
2000 modern 805 #6,734
2001 modern 799 #6,655
2002 modern 816 #6,660
2003 modern 794 #6,692
2004 modern 775 #6,843
2005 modern 739 #7,044
2006 modern 739 #7,069
2007 modern 740 #7,134
2008 modern 741 #7,166
2009 modern 760 #7,177
2010 modern 771 #7,234
2011 modern 763 #7,209
2012 modern 711 #7,517
2013 modern 750 #7,344
2014 modern 761 #7,281
2015 modern 757 #7,247
2016 modern 756 #7,240

Geography

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Where Parretts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Bishopston, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Christchurch, Winchester, Chichester and Powys. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bishopston Wiltshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Christchurch 005 Christchurch
2 Winchester 014 Winchester
3 Chichester 003 Chichester
4 Powys 015 Powys
5 Christchurch 002 Christchurch

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parrett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parrett

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Parrett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Parrett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Parrett is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parrett is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parrett falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parrett 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 Parrett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Parrett

The surname PARRETT has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "parret," which referred to a small enclosure or pen for animals. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who worked with or guarded such enclosures.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a person named Roger Parret is listed. Additionally, the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, indicating its presence in that region during that time.

The PARRETT surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Parrett Works in Somerset and Parrett Lode in Dorset. These places may have derived their names from the Old English word "parret," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its occupational origins.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the PARRETT surname. One such person was John Parrett (1567-1648), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, from 1628 until his death. Another was Thomas Parrett (1683-1756), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, William Parrett (1790-1870) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Additionally, John Parrett (1818-1889) was a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of education and healthcare in his community.

Another notable figure was Sir Walter Parrett (1842-1923), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the late 19th century and was awarded the Order of the Bath for his distinguished service.

While the PARRETT surname may have originated from humble occupational beginnings, it has since been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields, including academia, politics, architecture, business, and the military.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parrett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parrett 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 139 Parretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 139 2.34x
Kent 119 5.88x
Surrey 79 2.73x
Hampshire 39 3.21x
Devon 29 2.35x
Dorset 24 6.17x
Wiltshire 24 4.58x
Sussex 21 2.10x
Yorkshire 17 0.29x
Somerset 14 1.47x
Warwickshire 14 0.94x
Essex 13 1.11x
Suffolk 13 1.80x
Gloucestershire 12 1.03x
Pembrokeshire 9 4.77x
Staffordshire 9 0.45x
Lancashire 8 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.12x
Cheshire 4 0.31x
Monmouthshire 4 0.93x
Norfolk 4 0.44x
Northamptonshire 2 0.36x
Bedfordshire 1 0.33x
Channel Islands 1 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 29 Parretts recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.04x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 29 5.04x
Hackney London 21 6.32x
Rotherhithe 14 19.10x
Clerkenwell London 13 9.29x
Maidstone 13 21.57x
Shapwick 13 1460.67x
Shoreditch London 13 5.06x
Milton In Milton 12 139.53x
Branscombe 11 650.89x
Kensington London 11 3.34x
Newington 11 5.02x
Woodbridge 11 119.05x
Minster In Sheppey 10 29.83x
West Ham 10 3.87x
Bethnal Green London 9 3.49x
Erith 9 45.14x
Lambeth 9 1.74x
Pembroke St Mary 9 37.08x
Tonbridge 9 12.33x
West Bromwich 9 7.85x
Chatham 8 14.37x
Goudhurst 8 142.86x
Hammersmith London 8 5.48x
Leckford 8 1379.31x
St Martin Vintry 8 5714.29x
Coombe Bissett 7 945.95x
Croydon 7 4.36x
Guildford Holy Trinity 7 127.04x
Portsea 7 2.94x
Rotherfield 7 79.55x
St Marylebone London 7 2.21x
Strood 7 60.66x
Wadhurst 7 106.54x
Aston 6 1.46x
Boarhunt 6 1034.48x
Camberwell 6 1.58x
Drypool 6 66.67x
Ilminster 6 89.96x
Leeds 6 1.81x
Uplyme 6 324.32x
Bermondsey 5 2.83x
Broad Chalk 5 335.57x
Faversham 5 25.91x
Plumstead 5 7.41x
Poplar London 5 4.47x
Shute 5 423.73x
Southam 5 137.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 4.19x
Stratford Toney 5 2272.73x
Streatham 5 11.36x
Stroud 5 22.08x
West Derby 5 2.43x
Bishopstone 4 160.00x
Brighton 4 1.98x
Brixham 4 27.97x
Charmouth 4 314.96x
Crewe In Nantwich 4 465.12x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.56x
Hartley 4 769.23x
Hawkhurst 4 63.59x
Lewisham 4 3.71x
Rogerstone 4 151.52x
Romsey Extra 4 55.33x
Bathford 3 153.06x
Battersea 3 1.37x
Bentley 3 209.79x
Cliddesden 3 441.18x
Farnham 3 13.35x
Glastonbury 3 38.51x
Rochester St Margaret 3 14.06x
Sherburn 3 62.11x
Winslow 3 88.76x
Brasted 2 76.34x
Brenenden 2 76.92x
Gillingham 2 4.79x
Lee 2 6.81x
Paddington London 2 0.92x
St Martin In Fields 2 5.63x
Walthamstow 2 4.75x
Westbury On Severn 2 43.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 20
Elizabeth 19
Alice 13
Eliza 13
Emma 12
Ann 11
Jane 10
Emily 9
Louisa 9
Ada 8
Edith 7
Ellen 7
Kate 7
Annie 6
Florence 5
Frances 5
Minnie 5
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Fanny 4
Harriett 4
Martha 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Lizzie 3
Margaret 3
Marie 3
Matilda 3
Nellie 3
Olive 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Evelina 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Betty 1
Elizebeth 1
T. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
George 21
John 19
Charles 18
James 18
Thomas 14
Joseph 12
Alfred 10
Samuel 10
Edward 9
Frederick 9
Henry 9
Albert 8
Arthur 7
Richard 7
Edgar 6
Wm. 6
Fredrick 5
Robert 5
Walter 5
Benjamin 4
Mark 4
David 3
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
H. 2
Jesse 2
Percy 2
Wm.G. 2
Danl. 1
De 1
Elizabeth 1
Ethelbert 1
Evelyn 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Gilbert 1
Jim 1
Jonathon 1
Josephus 1
Lewin 1
Lewis 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Wm.W. 1

FAQ

Parrett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parrett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Parrett surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parrett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 756 in 2016. That gives Parrett a modern rank of #7,240.

What does the Parrett surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "pear tree."

What does the Parrett map show?

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