Parsons as a surname has an occupational meaning, and refers to a parson's servant or a person that 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 (1854–1931), Irish engineer, inventor of the steam turbine
Charles Parsons (philosopher) (born 1943), American philosopher
Coleman Parsons (1905–1991), American professor of literature
Elsie Clews Parsons (1875–1941), American anthropologist
Frederick Gymer Parsons (1863–1943), English writer and scientist
John Herbert Parsons (1863–1957), British ophthalmologist
Peter J. Parsons (born 1936), British classicist and papyrologist
Talcott Parsons (1902–1979), American sociologist
Terence Parsons (born 1939), American philosopher
Theophilus Parsons (1749–1813), American jurist
Torrence Parsons (1941–1987), American mathematician
Allyson Parsons (born 1965), Australian landscape artist
Betty Parsons (1900–1982), American artist and art dealer
Peter Parsons (1951–1993), ceramic artist
Film, television and comedy
Andy Parsons (born 1967), English comedian
Charlie Parsons (born 1958), British television producer
Christopher Parsons (1932–2002), English filmmaker and producer
Estelle Parsons (born 1927), Academy Award winning actress
Jim Parsons (born 1973), American television and film actor
Karyn Parsons (born 1966), American film and television actress
Nancy Parsons (1942–2001), American actress
Nicholas Parsons (born 1923), English actor and radio and television presenter
Rodger Parsons, American voice actor
Willy Parsons (born 1959), American comedian
Military and diplomacy
Alfred Parsons (1925–2010), Australian diplomat
Francis Newton Parsons, British soldier, awarded the Victoria Cross
Harold Parsons (1863–1925), British Army officer, for whom Parsons Barracks named
Isaac Parsons (American military officer) (1814–1862), Virginia military officer and Virginia House Delegate
Mosby Parsons (1822–1865), U.S. officer in the Mexican–American War
Alan Parsons (born 1948), British musician and record producer
Dave Parsons (born 1966), English bass guitarist
Gary Parsons, American radio executive
Gene Parsons (born 1944), American musician
Geoffrey Parsons (pianist) (1929–1995), Australian classical pianist
Geoffrey Parsons (lyricist) (1910–1987), English lyricist
Gram Parsons (1946–1973), American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist
Lynn Parsons, British radio disk jockey
Robert Parsons (composer) (c. 1535 – 1572), English composer
Squire Parsons (born 1949), American gospel singer
Ted Parsons, American drummer
Politicians and activists
Albert Parsons (1848–1887), American labor activist
Andrew Parsons (1817–1856), American politician
Cornelius R. Parsons (1842–1901), New York politician
Ernie Parsons (born 1946), Canadian JP and politician
Herbert Angas Parsons (1872–1945), South Australian lawyer, politician and judge
Herbert Parsons (New York politician) (1869–1925), U.S. Representative from New York
Isaac Parsons (Virginia politician) (1752–1796), Virginia militia officer and Virginia House Delegate
Lucy Parsons (1853–1942), American labor organizer
Robert E. Parsons, American politician
Sidney Parsons (1893–1955), Canadian politician
Thomas Parsons (1814–1873), New York politician
Jamie Parsons (1941–2015), Alaskan politician
Donald J. Parsons, American Episcopal bishop
Jonathan Parsons (1705–1776), New England clergyman
Bill Parsons (born 1948), former American baseball player
Benny Parsons (1941–2007), American NASCAR driver
Bob Parsons (American football) (born 1950), American football player
Brian Parsons (1933–1999), English cricketer
Buzz Parsons (born 1950), Canadian soccer player
Casey Parsons, former American Major League baseball player
Chandler Parsons (born 1988), American basketball player
David Parsons (cricketer) (born 1967), English cricket coach
David Parsons (racing driver) (born 1959), Australian racing driver
Donald Parsons, businessman and former owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Eric Parsons (born 1923), former English footballer
Geoff Parsons (born 1964), Scottish high jumper
Herbert Parsons (cricketer) (1875–1937), Australian cricket player for Victoria
Jayne Parsons (born 1962), New Zealand paralympic cyclist
Johnnie Parsons (1918–1984), American race car driver
Johnny Parsons (born 1944), American race car driver
Jordan Parsons (1990−2016) American mixed martial artist
Keith Parsons (born 1973), English cricketer
King Parsons (born 1945), former American professional wrestler
Liam Parsons (born 1977), Canadian rower
Lindsay Parsons (born 1946), English footballer
Lucas Parsons (born 1989), Australian professional golfer
Phil Parsons (born 1957), former American NASCAR driver
Sarah Parsons (born 1987), American ice hockey player
Zane Parsons (born 1976), Australian rules footballer
Sir Anthony Parsons (1922–1996), British diplomat, ambassador to Iran and to the United Nations
Bob Parsons (born 1950), American entrepreneur
Chick Parsons (1900–1988), American businessman and diplomat
Clere Parsons, (1908–1931), English poet
Kathryn Parsons (born 1982), British tech entrepreneur
Louella Parsons (1881–1972), American gossip columnist
Mary Elizabeth Parsons (1859-1947), American author*Randy Parsons, American luthier
Rehtaeh Parsons (d. April 7, 2013), bullycide victim
Samuel Parsons (1844–1923), American landscape architect
Samuel Holden Parsons (1737–1789), American lawyer
Ellen Parsons, one of the main characters in the TV series Damages
Kimberly Parsons (portrayed by Daniella Evangelista), a character from the movie Cabin by the Lake and its sequel "Return to Cabin by the Lake"
Rachel Parsons, a character from the movie Gothika
Parsons (surname) Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
