NameCensus.

UK surname

Parsonage

A surname derived from the Old English word meaning the residence or dwelling of a parish priest.

In the 1881 census there were 757 people recorded with the Parsonage surname, ranking it #4,879 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,161, ranked #5,085, down from #4,879 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alvechurch, Manchester and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Trafford and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parsonage is 1,221 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.4%.

1881 census count

757

Ranked #4,879

Modern count

1,161

2016, ranked #5,085

Peak year

1999

1,221 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parsonage had 757 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,879 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016, ranked #5,085.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,060 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Parsonage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parsonage surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parsonage 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 520 #4,821
1861 historical 576 #4,576
1881 historical 757 #4,879
1891 historical 907 #4,545
1901 historical 1,002 #4,752
1911 historical 1,060 #4,359
1997 modern 1,167 #4,830
1998 modern 1,192 #4,915
1999 modern 1,221 #4,848
2000 modern 1,188 #4,952
2001 modern 1,163 #4,949
2002 modern 1,216 #4,851
2003 modern 1,144 #5,014
2004 modern 1,124 #5,092
2005 modern 1,084 #5,195
2006 modern 1,115 #5,085
2007 modern 1,150 #4,985
2008 modern 1,135 #5,090
2009 modern 1,194 #4,959
2010 modern 1,220 #4,970
2011 modern 1,211 #4,929
2012 modern 1,163 #5,041
2013 modern 1,194 #5,007
2014 modern 1,205 #5,000
2015 modern 1,173 #5,071
2016 modern 1,161 #5,085

Geography

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Where Parsonages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alvechurch, Manchester, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, West Derby and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Trafford, Shropshire and Cornwall. 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 Alvechurch Worcestershire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 020 Flintshire
2 Trafford 018 Trafford
3 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
4 Flintshire 013 Flintshire
5 Cornwall 034 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parsonage

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parsonage

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Parsonage is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Parsonage is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parsonage 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 Parsonage 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 Parsonage, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Parsonage

The surname Parsonage is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "persone" meaning "clergyman" and "cage" meaning "dwelling" or "enclosure." It refers to the residence or house provided for the parish priest or parson adjacent to the church.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Parsonage dates back to the 13th century in various county records across England. It was often rendered as "de la Personage" or "atte Personage" in early documents, reflecting the Norman French influence on English nomenclature during that period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de la Personage, a landowner mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The Parsonage family was also recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, with Richard atte Personage listed as a taxpayer.

The surname Parsonage is occasionally found in the Domesday Book of 1086, albeit in its earlier form, such as "de la Parsonne" or "de la Persone." These entries typically referred to individuals residing near or associated with the parsonage or clergy house of a village or parish.

Notable historical figures with the surname Parsonage include:

1. John Parsonage (c. 1550-1621), an English poet and clergyman known for his work "The First Booke of Motets or Graue Chamber Musique."

2. William Parsonage (1658-1724), a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed from 1701 to 1710.

3. James Parsonage (1766-1834), an English landscape painter and engraver, known for his picturesque views of Yorkshire and the Lake District.

4. Thomas Parsonage (1808-1876), a British botanist and horticulturist who introduced several new plant species to cultivation.

5. Edward Parsonage (1829-1906), a prominent English architect responsible for designing numerous churches, schools, and public buildings in the Victorian era.

The surname Parsonage has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Parsonage Farm in Hertfordshire, Parsonage Lane in Warwickshire, and Parsonage Green in Gloucestershire, reflecting its historical connection to clergy dwellings and church properties.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parsonage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parsonage 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 201 Parsonages recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 201 2.29x
Cheshire 103 6.30x
Worcestershire 85 8.79x
Warwickshire 70 3.75x
Denbighshire 59 21.10x
Flintshire 49 24.62x
Staffordshire 44 1.76x
Shropshire 31 4.85x
Yorkshire 25 0.34x
Surrey 20 0.55x
Sussex 13 1.04x
Middlesex 12 0.16x
Essex 7 0.48x
Northamptonshire 7 1.01x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.34x
Glamorgan 5 0.39x
Gloucestershire 5 0.34x
Leicestershire 4 0.49x
Lincolnshire 2 0.17x
Merionethshire 2 1.48x
Bedfordshire 1 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.21x
Herefordshire 1 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromsgrove in Worcestershire leads with 38 Parsonages recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.78x.

Place Total Index
Bromsgrove 38 116.78x
Chester St John Baptist 35 119.13x
Aston 32 6.22x
Liverpool 32 6.00x
Birmingham 27 4.34x
Gresford Gwersyllt 27 311.06x
Alvechurch 20 486.62x
Warrington 20 19.20x
Toxteth Park 18 6.05x
Drayton In Hales 17 128.89x
Mold 17 94.18x
West Derby 17 6.61x
Mold Argoed 15 531.91x
Rixton With Glazebrook 15 669.64x
Hulme 14 7.63x
Wrexham Regis 14 67.40x
Tranmere 11 18.31x
Camberwell 10 2.11x
West Bromwich 10 6.99x
Cannock 9 20.64x
Gorton 9 10.90x
Hawarden 9 57.58x
Wem 9 94.64x
Winwick With Hulme 9 725.81x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 12.10x
Over Darwen 8 11.40x
Slaugham 8 198.51x
Saffron Walden 7 45.34x
Sedgley 7 7.54x
Aston Clinton 6 158.31x
Ecclesfield 6 11.15x
Kings Norton 6 6.92x
Liscard 6 20.37x
Manchester 6 1.52x
Mouldsworth 6 1304.35x
Oldbury 6 12.61x
Pennington In Leigh 6 35.59x
Peterborough 6 11.90x
Redditch 6 30.61x
Rusholme 6 25.61x
Sutton Coldfield 6 30.57x
Willaston In Nantwich 6 119.05x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 7.17x
Broughton 5 45.50x
Cheltenham 5 4.46x
Knutsford Over 5 480.77x
Sheffield 5 2.14x
Swansea St Thomas 5 38.61x
Aldford 4 310.08x
Atherton 4 12.51x
Everton 4 1.43x
Great Ayton 4 89.09x
Holy Trinity 4 2.27x
Islington London 4 0.56x
Lambeth 4 0.62x
Northfield 4 21.81x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 21.28x
Sandal Magna 4 36.87x
Stanton Lacy 4 72.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.51x
Tipton 4 5.23x
Westminster St John 4 4.44x
Whitby 4 106.10x
Abergele 3 37.31x
Broxton 3 227.27x
Chester St Oswald 3 10.14x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.15x
Kingston On Thames 3 3.46x
Nantwich 3 15.80x
Northop Soughton 3 200.00x
Pendleton In Salford 3 2.87x
Preston 3 13.76x
Wednesbury 3 4.80x
Yardley 3 12.13x
Great Sankey 2 123.46x
Heckington 2 44.44x
Hope 2 20.20x
Knowle 2 52.08x
Leicester St Mary 2 3.02x
Malpas 2 82.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 32
Ann 24
Jane 21
Emma 19
Eliza 13
Margaret 12
Annie 10
Ellen 10
Hannah 10
Martha 10
Lucy 8
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Alice 6
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Susannah 4
Frances 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Bertha 2
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
Christina 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Nancy 2
Phoebe 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Bessie 1
Dorothy 1
Drucilla 1
E.Joice 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Elisth. 1
Harriett 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
William 41
Thomas 40
George 22
Joseph 16
Charles 15
James 15
Edward 14
Henry 13
Samuel 12
Richard 10
Robert 10
Frederick 8
Arthur 7
David 7
Frank 7
Benjamin 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
Benj. 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Hy. 2
Job 2
Timothy 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Christopr. 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Harvey 1
Joshia 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Noble 1
Oswald 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Wynn 1

FAQ

Parsonage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parsonage surname in 1881?

In 1881, 757 people were recorded with the Parsonage surname. That placed it at #4,879 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parsonage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,161 in 2016. That gives Parsonage a modern rank of #5,085.

What does the Parsonage surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word meaning the residence or dwelling of a parish priest.

What does the Parsonage map show?

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