# 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), English marine engineer, inventor of the steam turbine
* Charles Parsons (philosopher) (1933–2024), 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 (1916–2024), American modernist artist
* Peter Parsons (1936–2022), ceramic artist

## Performing arts

* Agnes Parsons (1884–1970), 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
* James Russell Parsons (1861–1905), American educator and diplomat
* 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
* John Langdon Parsons (1837–1903), Australian 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