NameCensus.

UK surname

Parrington

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "farmstead of Parr's people".

In the 1881 census there were 401 people recorded with the Parrington surname, ranking it #7,959 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 441, ranked #10,971, down from #7,959 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedbergh, Lancaster Borough and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland, Ribble Valley and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parrington is 588 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.0%.

1881 census count

401

Ranked #7,959

Modern count

441

2016, ranked #10,971

Peak year

1911

588 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parrington had 401 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,959 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016, ranked #10,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 588 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Parrington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parrington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parrington 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 286 #7,933
1861 historical 461 #5,634
1881 historical 401 #7,959
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 544 #7,583
1911 historical 588 #6,942
1997 modern 484 #9,531
1998 modern 496 #9,658
1999 modern 506 #9,574
2000 modern 492 #9,749
2001 modern 475 #9,827
2002 modern 491 #9,752
2003 modern 471 #9,902
2004 modern 474 #9,889
2005 modern 448 #10,250
2006 modern 461 #10,054
2007 modern 469 #10,028
2008 modern 468 #10,134
2009 modern 490 #10,019
2010 modern 482 #10,319
2011 modern 458 #10,630
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 440 #11,031
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 444 #10,935
2016 modern 441 #10,971

Geography

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Where Parringtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedbergh, Lancaster Borough, Toxteth Park, Dalton-in-Furness and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland, Ribble Valley, Craven and Wigan. 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 Sedbergh Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 013 South Lakeland
2 Ribble Valley 007 Ribble Valley
3 South Lakeland 012 South Lakeland
4 Craven 003 Craven
5 Wigan 039 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parrington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parrington

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Parrington 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

Parrington is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parrington falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Parrington

The surname Parrington is an English locational name derived from the parish and village of Parrington in Durham, England. The name is believed to have originated during the Anglo-Saxon period, with the earliest known spelling being "Perindene" in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The name Parrington is thought to be derived from the Old English words "pæring" meaning "pear tree" and "denu" meaning "valley" or "hill". This suggests that the original settlement was likely located in a valley or on a hill where pear trees grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Parrington can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William de Peryngton was listed as a landowner in Parrington, Durham. This suggests that the family had established roots in the area by the 13th century.

During the medieval period, the surname Parrington appeared in various forms, including Perinton, Peryngton, and Paryngton, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Parrington throughout history include:

1. Thomas Parrington (c. 1545 - c. 1616), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. George Parrington (1774 - 1847), an English mining engineer and inventor who pioneered the use of iron rails in collieries. 3. Cyril Parkinson (1909 - 1997), an English naval historian and author best known for his book "Parkinson's Law". 4. Vernon L. Parrington (1871 - 1929), an American literary scholar and critic known for his influential work "Main Currents in American Thought". 5. Richard Parrington (1583 - 1670), an English Puritan minister and member of the Westminster Assembly, known for his involvement in the creation of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

The surname Parrington continues to be found in various parts of England, particularly in the northern regions, reflecting its origins and historical presence in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parrington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parrington 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. Lancashire leads with 148 Parringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 148 3.23x
Yorkshire 125 3.27x
Hampshire 25 3.16x
Middlesex 23 0.60x
Cheshire 14 1.64x
Durham 11 0.96x
Devon 8 0.99x
Surrey 8 0.43x
Sussex 6 0.92x
Brecknockshire 5 6.47x
Essex 5 0.66x
Westmorland 5 5.89x
Lincolnshire 4 0.65x
Hertfordshire 2 0.75x
Suffolk 2 0.43x
Cumberland 1 0.30x
Herefordshire 1 0.63x
Kent 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 2.17x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dent in Yorkshire leads with 36 Parringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2250.00x.

Place Total Index
Dent 36 2250.00x
Bradford 14 15.11x
Lancaster 14 51.34x
Blackburn 13 10.66x
Buckden 11 2820.51x
Toxteth Park 10 6.44x
Croydon 8 7.66x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 43.43x
Huyton With Roby 8 148.98x
Islington London 8 2.14x
Muker 8 720.72x
Batley 7 19.24x
Clitheroe 7 51.89x
Horton In Bradford 7 11.71x
Kildwick 7 200.57x
Leck 7 1944.44x
Liscard 7 45.57x
Liverpool 7 2.51x
Preston 7 5.71x
Spotland 7 13.74x
Tatham 7 985.92x
Eccleshill 6 64.38x
Lower Holker 6 681.82x
Newchurch 6 16.00x
Portchester 6 588.24x
Upham 6 689.66x
Wymering 6 461.54x
Accrington 5 12.00x
Altrincham 5 33.56x
Chelsea London 5 4.30x
Cwmdu 5 393.70x
Dalton In Furness 5 28.26x
Felpham 5 666.67x
Scotforth 5 167.79x
West Derby 5 3.73x
Yarm 5 255.10x
Broughton 4 231.21x
Burnley 4 10.36x
Fulwell 4 571.43x
Manchester 4 1.94x
West Ham 4 2.38x
Darlington 3 6.76x
Ealing 3 8.69x
Everton 3 2.05x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 3 187.50x
Hendon 3 21.58x
Ingleton 3 139.53x
Middlesbrough 3 6.02x
St Pancras London 3 0.96x
Auckland St Helen 2 165.29x
Barnoldswick 2 37.45x
Bickerstaffe 2 66.67x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 15.28x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.03x
Bungay St Mary 2 85.84x
Kirkby Malham 2 1052.63x
Millbrook 2 10.03x
Portsea 2 1.29x
Portsmouth 2 10.97x
Sculcoates 2 3.30x
Skerton 2 53.19x
Skipton 2 16.60x
Wavertree 2 13.63x
Windle 2 7.75x
Aston 1 0.37x
Beckenham 1 5.80x
Carnforth 1 39.68x
Cononley 1 90.91x
Crumpsall 1 9.26x
East Broughton 1 76.34x
Eastdean 1 263.16x
Gargrave 1 58.48x
Glusburn 1 46.30x
Grayrigg 1 333.33x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 1 49.02x
Kirkleatham 1 19.34x
Sedburgh 1 62.89x
Settle 1 34.13x
Walton On Hill 1 4.03x
Witton 1 17.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Margaret 19
Ellen 13
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 12
Ann 10
Agnes 9
Edith 6
Emma 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Isabella 5
Lucy 5
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Catherine 3
Martha 3
Barbara 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Maude 2
Susannah 2
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Cecilia 1
Cissey 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Ettie 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Geovina 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Judith 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Marria 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 37
John 26
Thomas 19
James 11
Richard 10
Henry 7
Robert 7
George 5
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Leonard 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Christopher 3
Frank 3
Alexander 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Matthew 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Crawford 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J.Leonard 1
Jno. 1
Lenord 1
Miles 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
R.Stanley 1
Rupert 1
Saml. 1
Tetley 1
Ths. 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Foster 1

FAQ

Parrington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parrington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 401 people were recorded with the Parrington surname. That placed it at #7,959 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parrington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016. That gives Parrington a modern rank of #10,971.

What does the Parrington surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "farmstead of Parr's people".

What does the Parrington map show?

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