PARFITT
Parfitt is a surname of English origin, inherited from the Old French word parfit, signifying “perfect” or “complete”. The name was traditionally employed as a nickname, applied to a person regarded as faultless or exemplary in conduct or character.
In medieval England it was common for surnames to arise from personal nicknames; Parfitt exemplifies this practice. The term derives from the pre‑10th‑century Old French parfite, meaning completed, which itself originates from the Latin perfectus or “finished”. In this sense the name often alluded to an apprentice who had successfully completed his period of training, or to a person whose work was meticulous and precise.
Recorded variations of the name include Parfit, Parfet, and Perfitt. Early examples of these forms appear in documentary sources; Richard Parfet of Somerset is noted in 1196 and William Perfyt of Hampshire in 1383. These early attestations confirm that the surname was already established in the south‑eastern counties of England during the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
Circumstantial evidence of the name’s persistence during the early modern period comes from parish registers. On 16 January 1704, the christening of Sarah, daughter of William and Margaret Parfitt, is recorded at St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, Westminster. Likewise, on 27 July 1708, Ann, daughter of John and Mary Perfitt, was baptised at St. Andrews, Holborn, in the city of London.
The earliest documented instance of the family name is found in the Winton Register for Hampshire, dated 1115 in the reign of King Henry I. It appears as “Vnfridus Parfait”. This entry places the name at the very beginning of the Norman period, suggesting an early integration of the French linguistic element into English onomastics.
Throughout its history, Parfitt has remained a distinctive surname within England, with a clear lineage of variations that reflect both linguistic influences and the social contexts in which the name was employed. All extant records affirm its origins and continuity without reliance on conjecture or speculation.
Typical given names associated with the Parfitt surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Alison
- Anna
- Christine
- Claire
- Diane
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Jane
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Parfait
- Parfet
- Parfett
- Parfit
- Parfite
- Parffit
- Parfitty
- Parfeet
- Parfeit
- Parfilt
- Parfin
- Parfoot
- Paritt
- Perfett
- Perfetti
- Perfetto
- Perffitt
- Perfit
- Perfitt
- Perfoot
- Peyrefitte
- Porfitt
- Pravato
- Pravda
- Prevatt
- Prevatte
- Prevete
- Prevett
- Prevette
- Previdi
- Previte
- Previti
- Previtt
- Prevot
- Prifti
- Privat
- Privato
- Privet
- Privett
- Privette
- Privitt
- Privott
- Profeit
- Profet
- Profeta
- Profeti
- Profett
- Proffet
- Proffett
- Proffit
- Proffitt
- Profit
- Profita
- Profitt
- Proft
- Prophet
- Prophett
- Prophit
- Provett
- Provette
- Provido
- Provitt
- Provvedi
- Pruvot
- Purfit
- Purfitt
- Purvotti
- Pravitt
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Parfitt in...
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There are approximately 5,667 people named Parfitt in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,669th most common surname in Britain. Around 87 in a million people in Britain are named Parfitt.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Parfitt
- Judy Parfitt - Actress
- Rick Parfitt - Musician (1948 to 2016)
- David Parfitt - Actor
- Tudor Parfitt - Historian, writer, traveller, broadcaster, adventurer
- Peter Parfitt - Cricket player of England.
- Jade Parfitt - Fashion model
- Clarence Parfitt - Scottish cricketer
- Djair Parfitt-Williams - Bermudan association football player
- Ronald Parfitt - Fencer (1913 to 2011)
- Fred Parfitt - Welsh rugby union player (1869 to 1953)
- Harry Parfitt - Football player (1929 to 2012)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.