Parsons (surname)

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.

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

 * Alfred William Parsons (1847-1920), English illustrator, landscape painter, garden designer
 * Beatrice Emma Parsons (1870-1955), English garden painter
 * Betty Parsons (1900–1982), American artist and art dealer
 * Elizabeth Parsons (1831–1897), English-Australian artist
 * Eunice Parsons (born 1916), American modernist collage artist and art teacher.
 * Peter Parsons (1936–2022), ceramic artist

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

 * Alfred Parsons (diplomat) (1925–2010), Australian diplomat
 * Sir Anthony Parsons (1922–1996), British diplomat, ambassador to Iran and to the United Nations
 * Francis Newton Parsons, British soldier, awarded the Victoria Cross
 * Harold Parsons (1863–1925), British Army officer, for whom Parsons Barracks named
 * Isaac Parsons (American military officer) (1814–1862), Virginia military officer and Virginia House Delegate
 * Mosby Parsons (1822–1865), U.S. officer in the Mexican–American War

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

 * Donald J. Parsons, American Episcopal bishop
 * Jonathan Parsons (1705–1776), New England clergyman
 * Robert Persons (1546 – 1610), English Jesuit priest, later known as Robert Parsons

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