Parsons (surname) explained
Parsons is an English surname although it's known to go back several centuries in Southern Ireland (Catholic) as well. The name has an occupational meaning, and refers to a parson's servant or a person who worked in the parson's house. Another meaning of the surname is the parson's son.[1]
Notable people with the surname of Parsons include the following.
Academia and science
- Charles Algernon Parsons (1854–1931), Irish engineer, inventor of the steam turbine
- Charles Parsons (philosopher) (born 1943), American philosopher
- Coleman Parsons (1905–1991), American professor of literature
- Elsie Clews Parsons (1875–1941), American anthropologist, sociologist, folklorist, and feminist
- Frederick Gymer Parsons (1863–1943), English writer and scientist
- John Herbert Parsons (1863–1957), British ophthalmologist
- Peter J. Parsons (1936 - 2022), British classicist and papyrologist
- Talcott Parsons (1902–1979), American sociologist best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism
- Terence Parsons (1939–2022), American philosopher
- Theophilus Parsons (1749–1813), American jurist
- Torrence Parsons (1941–1987), American mathematician
Art
Performing arts
- Agnes Parsons, American screenwriter
- Andy Parsons (born 1966), English comedian
- Charlie Parsons (born 1958), British television producer
- Christopher Parsons (1932–2002), English filmmaker and producer
- Estelle Parsons (born 1927), Academy Award-winning actress
- Jim Parsons (born 1973), American television and film actor
- Karyn Parsons (born 1966), American film and television actress
- Nancy Parsons (1942–2001), American actress
- Nathan Parsons (born 1988), Australian-American actor
- Nicholas Parsons (1923–2020), English actor and radio and television presenter
- Percy Parsons (1878–1944), American actor
- Philip Parsons, Australian drama academic and publisher
- Rodger Parsons, American voice actor
Military and diplomacy
Music
- Alan Parsons (born 1948), British musician and record producer
- Dave Parsons (born 1966), English bass guitarist
- Gene Parsons (born 1944), American musician
- Geoffrey Parsons (lyricist) (1910–1987), English lyricist
- Geoffrey Parsons (pianist) (1929–1995), Australian classical pianist
- Gram Parsons (1946–1973), American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist
- Lynn Parsons, British radio disk jockey
- Robert Parsons (composer) (c. 1535 – 1572), English composer
- Squire Parsons (born 1949), American gospel singer
- Ted Parsons, American drummer
Politicians and activists
- Albert Parsons (1848–1887), American labor activist, anarchist newspaper editor, and orator
- Andrew Parsons (American politician) (1817–1856), American politician
- Cornelius R. Parsons (1842–1901), New York politician
- Eileen Parsons, British Virgin Islands politician
- Ernie Parsons (born 1946), Canadian JP and politician
- Herbert Parsons (New York politician) (1869–1925), U.S. Representative from New York
- Herbert Angas Parsons (1872–1945), South Australian lawyer, politician and judge
- Isaac Parsons (Virginia politician) (1752–1796), Virginia militia officer and Virginia House Delegate
- Jamie Parsons (1941–2015), Alaskan politician
- Lewis E. Parsons (1817-1895), American politician, governor of Alabama
- Lucy Parsons (1853–1942), American labor organizer, radical socialist and anarcho-communist
- Robert E. Parsons (1892-1966), American politician
- Sidney Parsons (1893–1955), Canadian politician
- Silas Parsons (c. 1800–1860), justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama
- S. Titus Parsons (d. 1881), American politician and lawyer
- Thomas Parsons (politician) (1814–1873), New York politician
Religion
Sports
- Benny Parsons (1941–2007), American NASCAR driver
- Bill Parsons (born 1948), American baseball player
- Bob Parsons (American football) (1950–2022), American football player
- Brian Parsons (1933–1999), English cricketer
- Buzz Parsons (born 1950), Canadian soccer player
- Casey Parsons, American Major League baseball player
- Chandler Parsons (born 1988), American basketball player
- David Parsons (cricket coach) (born 1967), English cricket coach
- David Parsons (racing driver) (born 1959), Australian racing driver
- Donald Parsons, businessman and owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins
- Eric Parsons (1923–2011), English footballer
- Geoff Parsons (born 1964), Scottish high jumper
- Herbert Parsons (cricketer) (1875–1937), Australian cricket player for Victoria
- Jayne Parsons (born 1962), New Zealand paralympic cyclist
- Johnnie Parsons (1918–1984), American race car driver
- Johnny Parsons (born 1944), American race car driver
- Jordan Parsons (1990−2016) American mixed martial artist
- Keith Parsons (born 1973), English cricketer
- King Parsons (born 1945), American professional wrestler
- Liam Parsons (born 1977), Canadian rower
- Lindsay Parsons (1946–2019), English footballer
- Lucas Parsons (born 1989), Australian professional golfer
- Micah Parsons (born 1999), American football player
- Phil Parsons (born 1957), American NASCAR driver
- Rachel Parsons (born 1997), American figure skater
- Sarah Parsons (born 1987), American ice hockey player
- Sarah Wilhite Parsons (born 1995), American volleyball player
- Tom Parsons (born 1988), Gaelic footballer
- Zane Parsons (born 1976), Australian rules footballer
Others
- Abraham Parsons (died 1785), English commercial consul and traveller
- Bob Parsons (born 1950), American entrepreneur
- Chick Parsons (1900–1988), American businessman and diplomat
- Clere Parsons, (1908–1931), English poet
- Eliza Parsons, (1739–1811), English gothic horror writer
- Kathryn Parsons (born 1982), British tech entrepreneur
- Louella Parsons (1881–1972), American gossip columnist
- Martha Parsons (1869–1965), American businesswoman
- Mary Elizabeth Parsons (1859-1947), American author
- Randy Parsons (born 1965), American luthier
- Rehtaeh Parsons (d. April 7, 2013), bullycide victim
- Samuel Parsons (1844–1923), American landscape architect
- Samuel Holden Parsons (1737–1789), American lawyer
Fictional characters
- Ellen Parsons, one of the main characters in the TV series Damages
- Kimberly Parsons (portrayed by Daniella Evangelista]), a character from the movie Cabin by the Lake and its sequel "Return to Cabin by the Lake"
- Nicky Parsons (portrayed by Julia Stiles), a character from the Bourne (film series)
- Rachel Parsons, a character from the movie Gothika
- Tom Parsons and his family, characters from Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Hanks, Patrick . Patrick Hanks
. The Oxford Names Companion . Patrick Hanks . Flavia Hodges . A. D. Mills . Adrian Room . 2002 . . . 9780198605614. 477–478 .
