Parker Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Parker Family History

Parker Family History

The ancient origin of the name Parker was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Parker include Parkerson, Parkhouse and Parkman. This is an occupational name meaning 'park guardian', from a person who made his living as a guardian of a park. A well-known family of the name became established at Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe, England. The hall was built by Richard le Parker in the year 1380, and is still the family seat. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a John Parker, County Dorset, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a Gilcrist Parker, Cardross, Scotland, who was a park-keeper in the year 1329. In Ireland the name Parker has been on record since the fifteenth century and is prominent in the census records of 1659 where it appears as 'tituladoes' in all four Provinces. Parker is also a name that was introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. Parker is also a name that was introduced into Ulster Province by settlers, adventurers and traders who arrived primarily from England and Scotland, especially during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Gaelic form of the name is Pairceir but this is seldom in use in modern times.The Parker family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Parker descendants.