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Parker Family History

Parker Surname Meaning

English: occupational name from Middle English parker ‘park-keeper’ (Old French parquier parchier) an officer employed to look after deer and other game in a hunting park (see Park ). This surname is also very common among African Americans. It has also been recorded since medieval times in Ireland. Americanized form of French Paquet 2 or Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish names.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Marker, Packer, Harker, Barker, Parler, Barber, Pasker, Parke, Hawker

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Parker family from?

You can see how Parker families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Parker family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Parker families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 772 Parker families living in New York. This was about 14% of all the recorded Parker's in USA. New York had the highest population of Parker families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Parker surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Parker ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Parker. 16% of Parker men worked as a Farmer and 7% of Parker women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Parker were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Parker | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    16%
  • Laborer
    16%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
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What Parker family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Parker. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Parker census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Parker

Passenger Lists

There are 240,000 immigration records available for the last name Parker. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Parker immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 384,000 military records available for the last name Parker. For the veterans among your Parker ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Parker lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Parker life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Parker in 1940 was 38, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Parker

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