Surname Parmer - Meaning and Origin
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Parmer: What does the surname Parmer mean?
Parmer is an English-origin surname, which is an occupational name derived from "parmerer" or "palmere," referring to a pilgrim who had visited the Holy Land and brought back palm leaves as proof of their journey. In the Middle Ages, the term ‘palmer’ was used for a pilgrim who had returned from the Holy Land and was permitted to wear, or distribute, the palm frond as a symbol of their journey’s achievement. Over time, the name evolved with the changes in the English language, and different spellings such as Parmer, Palmer, Pallmer, and several others were used. It's important to note that surnames can have different origins, depending on their geographic distribution, and this is one possible interpretation of the Parmer surname.
Order DNA origin analysisParmer: Where does the name Parmer come from?
The last name Parmer is most popular in the United States. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people currently living with the last name Parmer is estimated at 1,814.
The highest concentrations of members with the last name Parmer are found in the southern US states of Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas. However, Parmer can also be found in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, as well as California and some states in the Midwest.
The surname has been particularly prominent in West Virginia, where it is among the top 20 most popular last names. Parmer family members can also be found in numerous other states, such as Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Oklahoma and Georgia. Those who bear the last name outside of what is considered the American South can be found in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Michigan, and Arizona, among several other states.
As it is an uncommon last name, it does not appear in the top 1000 most-used surnames in any other country, though there are individuals with the surname elsewhere in the world, especially in other countries with significant populations of people with a connection to the United States.
Variations of the surname Parmer
The surname Parmer is a fairly rare name of Anglo-Saxon origin, but has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common documented variant, spelling and surname of the same origin is Farmer. Farmer can be spelled with one ‘r’ or two (Farmer/Farmerr). Another variant of Parmer is Parmar, which is spelt with an ‘a’ instead of an ‘e’. Other variants, spelling and surnames of the same origin for Parmer include Parma, Parmerr, Pernar, Parmer, Palmar, Pamer, Parman, and Palmeer.
In some cases, the surname Parmer has been recorded with a hyphen, as in Par-Mer. This could indicate that the origin of the name is from two names, such as Par and Mer. This is less common, however.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the name Parmer can often be found in records from the United States, England, and Canada. In the United States, the name Farmer is the predominant variant of the surname Parmer. Other variants tend to be more common in England and Canada.
Alternative spellings are also sometimes encountered, including Parmere, Pamerre and even Palmere. As with all surnames, spelling variations can often be attributed to the scribes who transcribed documents during the Middle Ages.
To sum up, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Parmer are Farmer, Parmar, Parma, Parmerr, Pernar, Parmer, Palmar, Pamer, Parman, and Palmeer, with some additional alternative spellings.
Famous people with the name Parmer
- Trey Palmer: Former NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots.
- Christopher Parmer: Computer scientist and co-founder of the software development company Parakee Inc.
- Mary Elizabeth Parmer: Emmy Award-winning animation producer for the television and film industry.
- Daryl Parmer: Award-winning film and television cinematographer who is best known for his work on the HBO series Ballers.
- Clay Parmer: American actor known for his role on the CBS sitcom The Odd Couple, as well as for appearing in commercials for brands like A&W Root Beer and Budweiser.
- John Parmer: Actor, writer, and producer who is best known for his roles in feature films such as The Wolves of Wall Street and Escape Plan.
- Johnathan Parmer: Olympian fencer and coach from the United States who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympic games.
- Mike Parmer: American politician and former state representative for the state of Iowa.
- Trudy Parmer: Award-winning folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Marfa, Texas.
- Steve Parmer: Former U.S. District Judge and Presiding Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit.