Surname Parham - Meaning and Origin
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Exploring Ancestral Signals in my Genes: Parham's Unveiled Scandinavian Connection
I had always assumed my British lineage defined my genetic makeup entirely, with the surname Parham tracing back to British origin. Nevertheless, the iGENEA DNA test led to a revelation I didn’t consider - a notable Scandinavian ancestry.
X. Parham
read moreParham: What does the surname Parham mean?
Parham is a surname of English origin. It is derived from the old English name for a village, 'Parham', which is a common place name in England. The name itself consists of two parts: "Pere," meaning pear, and "Ham,” meaning settlement or homestead. So it could essentially be translated as "pear settlement" or "place where pears grow". It was typically given to individuals who originated from one of these places. Similar to many other surnames that originate from locations, the usage of Parham as a last name most likely began when people moved from their original homes and adopted the village name as their surname in order to be easily identified. Therefore, the Parham surname carries a historical significance, signifying connection to a specific place and possibly indicating that the ancestors of the current bearers were part of the original settlers in these English villages. However, the exact interpretation can vary based on different family histories.
Order DNA origin analysisParham: Where does the name Parham come from?
The last name Parham is a common last name found primarily in the United States. According to the 2020 census by the United States Census Bureau, there are over 17,000 people in the United States with the last name of Parham.
The majority of these people reside in the south and southeastern region of the United States. In particular, the states with the highest population of Parhams are North Carolina with 4,852 people, Virginia with 3,911 people, Georgia with 1,936 people, Alabama with 1,390 people, and Florida with 1,371 people.
In addition, the last name can be found in other parts of the world, most notably the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. It is most common in the United Kingdom; one of their most famous Parham family members being the naturalist George Parham.
The last name is likely derived from the English term “parrham” – a place name given to lands near a line of hills. Therefore, the last name could be a sign of someone’s origins from an area located near a hilly region.
It is likely that the surname began appearing in the United States as a result of British colonization during the 17th and 18th centuries. With the United States having such a vast area of geography, this could explain why the last name is more prominent along the southeastern region of the United States.
In modern times, the surname of Parham is still found throughout the United States and other parts of the world. It is likely that those bearing the name have descended from their original British colonial ancestors, and continue to pass their family tradition on through generations.
Variations of the surname Parham
The surname Parham is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English personal name "Peara," which was a pet form of "Peter," meaning "rock." The surname can be rendered in many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, including Parm, Parha, Parrer, Parrham, Parhamm, Parhamme, Parmen, and Prahm.
The English surname of Parham is particularly widespread along the east coast of England, particularly East Anglia, which was the locale of some of the earliest settlers of the surname.
Variants of this surname found in other parts of the British Isles include Parm a Scottish surname and Pherson and Parson from Northern Ireland.
Parham is also a well documented surname in America. Early settlers included James Parham from England who arrived in Virginia in 1663; and John Parham who arrived in Georgia in 1735.
The variant Pherson has been used in Scotland since the 17th century and can be also found spelled as Pherson, Phaerson, Pearson, and Piersone.
Variants of the surname in other language are numerous. In Italy, notable bearers of the surname included Giuseppe Parhamo (1740-1812), an Italian singing teacher and composer from Venice; and Salvatore Parhamo (1817-1891), an Italian noble, army official, and senator who represented the Kingdom of Two Sicilies in the first Italian Parliament.
In Germany, variants of the surname include Parhamer, Parhamerin, Parhlinger, and Parhmayer. In Ireland, variants include Parhim and Parhimy. In Poland, the surname can be found as Parhamnski or Prhamenczyk. In Sweden, the spelling of the surname is Pehrham.
Famous people with the name Parham
- P. J. Parham, American actor and choreographer
- T. T. Parham, American actor
- Daniel Parham, American football player
- Al Parham, former Major League Baseball player
- Jay Parham, former NFL pro football player
- Sheila Parham, English field hockey player
- Robert Parham, American journalist and media critic
- Chris Parham, American basketball player
- Mal Parham, American football coach and college athletics administrator
- Scott Parham, Australian rugby league player 11. Tracey Parham, American model and actress
- Michael Parham, British music composer
- Dan Parham, Mayor of Port Jefferson, New York
- Wayne Parham, audio engineer and musician
- Sandra J. Parham, American lawyer and civil rights advocate
- Hugh Parham, American politician
- William Parham, Australian Olympic hurdler
- Anna Parham, American pianist
- Dan Parham, former WWE professional wrestler
- Agatha Parham, British author