Parrish
Usually a spelling of Parish, originally a name for someone who lived in or worked for the parish.
The #694 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 6,208 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Parrish is generally treated as a spelling variant of Parish. The surname comes from Middle English forms meaning "parish," ultimately from Old French and Latin parochia, referring to the local church district. In surname use, it most likely began as a topographic or status name for someone living in, belonging to, or serving the parish rather than as a hereditary family name from the start.
History
Historical surname dictionaries note Parrish as a variant of Parish, though some sources also mention occasional confusion with Paris. The name is well established in England and later appears in American records, with modern U.S. bearers likely descending from multiple English lines. In some cases, spelling drift helped separate Parrish from the more common Parish form.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth-century surname compilers specifically remark that Parrish was often written as Parish, and sometimes even confused with Paris.
From the historical record
“PARRISS j 2 Parry's (Son) : v. Parry^ PARRISH for Parish, q.v. v. under Park ante. PARROCKI PARRICK J PARRY (Celt. -{- Teut.) the Welsh Ap-Harry = SoN OF Harry : v. Harry [Wei. ap, ah,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)