Park
A surname for someone who lived by or worked near an enclosed park or game preserve.
The #289 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,894 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This name is usually explained as a topographic surname for someone who lived near an enclosed park, paddock, or other fenced-in ground. The word comes through Middle English forms like parke and parrok, ultimately from Old English pearroc, meaning an enclosure. Some older writers also pointed to Anglo-French or Old French influence, but the core sense is still “enclosed ground.”
History
Medieval records show early forms such as Roger atte Parke, which clearly preserve the original topographic sense. The surname became established in England and later spread widely in Britain and the United States. It is also related to occupational surnames such as Parker, meaning a park-keeper or gamekeeper.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older English, a “park” was not just a public green space but often a fenced hunting ground or enclosed estate land.
From the historical record
“YorksPoll-Tax,.A.D. 1379. PARK ICEng. and A.-Fr.) Dweller in an PARKE J Enclosed Ground [M.E. parke, parrok, O.'E. pearroc, an enclosure, park (O.Fr. pare is prob. f. Teut.] John del Vaic— Hund. Rolls. Roger atte Parke. — Pari. Writs. PARKER (Eng.) Park-Keeper, Gamekeeper [M.E.parker(e, etc. ; v. under Papk(e, and”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)