Parry
A Welsh surname meaning “son of Harry,” originally from the patronymic ap Harry.
The #3,383 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,251 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Parry is traditionally explained as a reduced form of the Welsh patronymic ap Harry, meaning “son of Harry.” In this analysis, ap is the Welsh word for “son of,” while Harry is a familiar medieval form of Henry. Over time, the two elements were fused into a fixed surname, with Parry becoming the standard spelling.
History
Older surname books note that the name was not firmly hereditary until the 16th century, which fits the broader shift from Welsh patronymics to fixed surnames. The form is especially associated with Wales and border counties, and it remains common there and in Welsh-descended families elsewhere. Some historical families, such as the Parrys of Rhiwddolion in Caernarvonshire, were treated as of ancient descent.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A number of Welsh surnames with ap (“son of”) were compressed into single names this way, so Parry belongs to the same broad pattern as Powell and Pritchard.
From the historical record
“PARRICK J PARRY (Celt. -{- Teut.) the Welsh Ap-Harry = SoN OF Harry : v. Harry [Wei. ap, ah, son] Thomas Ap-Harjy.-^Charter-Rolls. (A.-Fr.-Gr.) = Parr' (q.v.) -t- the E. dim^ suff. -y. PARSLEY (Eng.) Bel. to Parsley = (perh.) ' Par(r)'s Lea ' [v. Parr ; and -h M.E. ley,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)