Parsons (surname)
Parsons is an English surname. 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, English marine engineer, inventor of the steam turbine
- Charles Parsons (philosopher), American philosopher
- Coleman Parsons, American professor of literature
- Elsie Clews Parsons, American anthropologist, sociologist, folklorist, and feminist
- Frederick Gymer Parsons, English writer and scientist
- John Herbert Parsons, British ophthalmologist
- Peter J. Parsons, British classicist and papyrologist
- Talcott Parsons, American sociologist best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism
- Terence Parsons, American philosopher
- Theophilus Parsons, American jurist
- Torrence Parsons, American mathematician
Art
- Alfred Parsons (artist), English illustrator, landscape painter, garden designer
- Beatrice Emma Parsons, English garden painter
- Betty Parsons, American artist and art dealer
- Elizabeth Parsons, English-Australian artist
- Eunice Parsons, American modernist artist
- Peter Parsons, ceramic artist
Performing arts
- Agnes Parsons, American screenwriter
- Andy Parsons, English comedian
- Charlie Parsons, British television producer
- Christopher Parsons, English filmmaker and producer
- Estelle Parsons, Academy Award-winning actress
- Jim Parsons, American television and film actor
- Karyn Parsons, American film and television actress
- Nancy Parsons, American actress
- Nathan Parsons, Australian-American actor
- Nicholas Parsons, English actor and radio and television presenter
- Percy Parsons, American actor
- Philip Parsons, Australian drama academic and publisher
- Rodger Parsons, American voice actor
Military and diplomacy
- Alfred Parsons (diplomat), Australian diplomat
- Sir Anthony Parsons, British diplomat, ambassador to Iran and to the United Nations
- Edwin Charles Parsons, American aviator for several militaries
- Francis Newton Parsons, British soldier, awarded the Victoria Cross
- Harold Parsons, British Army officer, for whom Parsons Barracks named
- Isaac Parsons (American military officer), Virginia military officer and Virginia House Delegate
- James Russell Parsons, American educator and diplomat
- Mosby Parsons, U.S. officer in the Mexican–American War
Music
- Alan Parsons, British musician and record producer
- Dave Parsons, English bass guitarist
- Gene Parsons, American musician
- Geoffrey Parsons (lyricist), English lyricist
- Geoffrey Parsons (pianist), Australian classical pianist
- Gram Parsons, American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist
- Lynn Parsons, British radio disk jockey
- Robert Parsons (composer), English composer
- Squire Parsons, American gospel singer
- Ted Parsons, American drummer
Politicians and activists
- Albert Parsons, American labor activist, anarchist newspaper editor, and orator
- Andrew Parsons (American politician), American politician
- Cornelius R. Parsons, New York politician
- Eileene Parsons, British Virgin Islands politician
- Ernie Parsons, Canadian JP and politician
- Herbert Parsons (New York politician), U.S. Representative from New York
- Herbert Angas Parsons, South Australian lawyer, politician and judge
- Isaac Parsons (Virginia politician), Virginia militia officer and Virginia House Delegate
- Jamie Parsons, Alaskan politician
- John Langdon Parsons, Australian politician
- Lewis E. Parsons, American politician, governor of Alabama
- Lucy Parsons, American labor organizer, radical socialist and anarcho-communist
- Robert E. Parsons, American politician
- Sidney Parsons, Canadian politician
- Silas Parsons, justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama
- S. Titus Parsons, American politician and lawyer
- Thomas Parsons (politician), New York politician
Religion
- Donald J. Parsons, American Episcopal bishop
- Jonathan Parsons, New England clergyman
- Robert Persons, English Jesuit priest, later known as Robert Parsons
Sports
- Benny Parsons, American NASCAR driver
- Bill Parsons, American baseball player
- Bob Parsons (American football), American football player
- Brian Parsons, English cricketer
- Buzz Parsons, Canadian soccer player
- Casey Parsons, American Major League baseball player
- Chandler Parsons, American basketball player
- David Parsons (cricket coach), English cricket coach
- David Parsons (racing driver), Australian racing driver
- Donald Parsons, businessman and owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins
- Eric Parsons, English footballer
- Geoff Parsons, Scottish high jumper
- Herbert Parsons (cricketer), Australian cricket player for Victoria
- Jake Parsons, Australian racing driver
- Jayne Parsons, New Zealand paralympic cyclist
- Johnnie Parsons, American race car driver
- Johnny Parsons, American race car driver
- Jordan Parsons American mixed martial artist
- Keith Parsons, English cricketer
- King Parsons, American professional wrestler
- Liam Parsons, Canadian rower
- Lindsay Parsons, English footballer
- Lucas Parsons, Australian professional golfer
- Micah Parsons, American football player
- Phil Parsons, American NASCAR driver
- Rachel Parsons, American figure skater
- Sarah Parsons, American ice hockey player
- Sarah Wilhite Parsons, American volleyball player
- Tom Parsons, Gaelic footballer
- Zane Parsons, Australian rules footballer
Others
- Abraham Parsons, English commercial consul and traveller
- Bob Parsons, American entrepreneur
- Chick Parsons, American businessman and diplomat
- Clere Parsons,, English poet
- Eliza Parsons,, English gothic horror writer
- Kathryn Parsons, British tech entrepreneur
- Louella Parsons, American gossip columnist
- Martha Parsons, American businesswoman
- Mary Elizabeth Parsons, American author
- Randy Parsons, American luthier
- Rehtaeh Parsons, bullycide victim
- Samuel Parsons, American landscape architect
- Samuel Holden Parsons, American lawyer
Fictional characters
- Ellen Parsons, one of the main characters in the TV series Damages
- Kimberly Parsons, a character from the movie Cabin by the Lake and its sequel "Return to Cabin by the Lake"
- Nicky Parsons, 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