Surname Parshall - Meaning and Origin

Parshall: What does the surname Parshall mean?

The surname Parshall is of Old French origin, derived from 'Perci' and 'halh,' which mean 'pear tree' and 'nook' or 'remote valley' respectively. Together, they form 'Percihalh,' which essentially means 'pear tree nook.' The name indicates a possible geographical feature or landmark, such as a secluded spot or corner where pear trees grew. Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, it was anglicized to 'Pershall' and later 'Parshall.' As a habitational name, it likely refers to the ancestral home of the initial bearers, possibly a locale known for its pear trees. Like many surnames from the Middle Ages, Parshall would have helped to distinguish people by profession, location, or by a particular characteristic, which in this case may have been a notable pear tree grove. Note that different sources may offer diverse interpretations or origins for the surname.

Parshall: Where does the name Parshall come from?

The last name Parshall is an English surname which originated in the 12th century. It derived from the Old English personal name Parsia, meaning “Son of the Bear-man”. The surname is fairly widespread throughout the country, with records showing up across England and in some cases Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Today, the bulk of the Parshall family is located in the United States. There are concentrations of Parshalls in the states of Massachusetts, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, and California. The surname can also be found among other nations throughout the world, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France. According to the U.S. census report, there were nearly 15,000 people bearing the name Parshall in the United States by 2019.

The earliest known records of the Parshall name in the United States trace back to the late 1600s when it appeared in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. From there, the name began to spread throughout the East Coast, and then make its way to the Midwest and West in the early 1800s.

The Parshall name is most popular in the state of New Jersey, where it ranks at 1,785th in population according to the U.S. Census. It is also not unheard of in other states, such as Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Residents of cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and even Washington DC may also bear the name Parshall.

Throughout the world, the name Parshall is most common in the United States and England, followed closely by other countries such as Canada and France. Regardless of where you might look, the Parshall surname is sure to appear.

Variations of the surname Parshall

The surname Parshall is believed to be of British and European origin. The variants of this surname include: Parshall, Parshell, Purshal, Pershal, Pearsall, Peerceall, Peirceall, Parsel, Parsell, Perceall, Peersall, Piersel, Pirson, Piersom and Parsom.

The Parshall variant of this surname is believed to be derived from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name "Pers," which was a diminutive form of Peter or Piers. This name is usually found in the counties of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The spelling variant Parshell is believed to have derived from Middle English and will usually be linked to the Northern English counties of Yorkshire, Cumberland and Lancashire.

The spelling variant Pearsall is believed to be of French origin, deriving from the Old French personal name "Piersan," of the same origin as the previously mentioned variant Parshall. The spelling variation Peerceall is believed to be derived from an old French given name "Peres," a form of Peter that was once common in medieval England.

The spelling variation Pershal is believed to be the combination of a variant of Piers and the Anglo-Norman term "hal," which means a pale, which was used in reference to a boundary marker, therefore this variant of the name could be a form of "one who lives by the pale or boundary marker."

The spelling variation Parsel is believed to be of Dutch origin, deriving from an Old German personal name "Perso," a form of Peter. The spelling variant Peersall could possibly be linked to the fact that in England, in the same era, the pronunciation of Pierre (French for Peter) and Peers were nearly indistinguishable.

The spelling variants Piersom and Parsom are believed to have derived from Norman-Picard, and is usually found in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire. The spelling variant Pirson is believed to be of American origin and is a combination of the Dutch or German variant of Peter and the term "son," used as a patronymic suffix for indicating "son of."

Famous people with the name Parshall

• Chris Parshall: Chief Strategy Officer at Optimizely.
• Clint Parshall: Senior Vice President at Colliers International.
• Drew Parshall: Swedish professional footballer.
• Harold Parshall: inventor of the Parshall flume.
• Frank Parshall: painter, sculptor, jewellery designer and teacher.
• Helen Parshall: singer and acrobatic dancer.
• Jenna Parshall: country music singer and songwriter.
• John Parshall: American economist.
• Kenneth Parshall: American librarian and poet.
• Matthew Parshall: Computer Scientist and Amazon Web Services Distinguished Engineer.
• Milt Parshall: former professional baseball player.
• S. R. Parshall: Engineer and American Scientist.
• Stacey Parshall Eisenberg: American painter and multi-media artist.
• Tim Parshall: popular radio broadcaster and voice actor.
• Todd Parshall: American former professional baseball player.

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