Revised and updated 5 March 2008. Genealogy can change rapidly, as new information is found, forcing reevaluations of previous information. Check back for updates before using any of this information.

One group of Parrotts, found primarily in North and South Carolina and on into Texas, trace their origin to Francis and Frances Johnson Parrott. Francis appears in Chowan precinct (at the time, Albemarle Co., now Bertie), North Carolina, in 1691, when he witnessed the will of Francis Hartley, Esq. A man of education he soon became prominent. He was appointed Justice of the Peace of Chowan Precinct 3-31-1703 and served continually until after 1711. On April 4,1715, Frances Parrott asked the Court to appraise the estate of her deceased husband.

How Francis and his descendants relate to other Parrotts is becoming apparent through a DNA project that has been started at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~parrott/index.html. Previous and widely published assumptions that all the early Parrotts of Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas were related to each other cannot be substantiated based on current DNA results.

The parents of Francis remain unknown, although there are a few possibilities. The most widely reported of these is that Francis was the son or grandson of yet another Francis. There are records showing a Francis Parrott in Maryland in 1655 and 1658 (originally and erroneously reported as 1648). A Francis Parrott transported himself to Maryland in 1662. It is not clear if these are the same or different persons. A Francis died ca 1670, leaving an unborn child, and it is commonly claimed this child was the Francis Parrott who appeared in the Chowan precinct of Albemarle Co. in 1691. Assuming the child was a male and he survived, it is much more likely that this unborn child was the Francis who died ca 1710 in Queen Anne's county Maryland, and not the one who appeared in North Carolina.

Prior to the advent of DNA testing, the picture of the early Parrott families of North America was simple, as exeplified in Links that Bind (1967) by Evalyn Parrott Scott. To this day, Links remains the best compilation of information on the Parrott families. Given they frequently crossed paths with each other, married into the same families and used similar names, Evalyn Parrott Scott declared them to be 'Kinsman all."

Under this scenario, one of the best documented early Parrotts, Richard of Middlesex Co., Virginia, was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and a large landowner in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. He was said to be descended from the Pembrokeshire Perrot family of Wales and England. Third-hand reports were that he used their coat of arms, though it has been impossible to verify these reports, and were in all likelihood, never true. Either way, it has been speculated that Francis was his son from his first wife.

However, there is no evidence to support the marriage of Richard to a 'first wife' -- one before Sarah Dale. In addition, a reading of Richard Sr.'s wills reveals he adhered to the principles of primogeniture. Had Francis been an older son of Richard's, he would have been mentioned in his will. DNA results have now confirmed beyond doubt that Francis of Bertie Co. and Richard of Middlesex were not related. If Francis of Chowan was descended from Francis of Calvert, then Francis of Calvert and Richard of Middlesex were not related either.

Given the prevalence of the name 'William' among the descendants of Lawrence Jr., another possibility is that Francis and Lawrence were the sons or relatives of a William Parrott of Talbot and Calvert Co., Maryland. More recently, the results from one DNA test from a descendant of William of Talbot appear to rule out out a connection between William of Talbot and both Richard of Middlesex and the Francis/Lawrence duo. Another branch descended from William of Talbot still needs to be tested to confirm the results.

Reports that Francis of Calvert and William of Talbot were related to each other can neither be ruled out or confirmed. Francis Parrott of Calvert reportedly married Sarah Abraham, and William's second marriage was to her sister, Ann. However, there is no documentation to support that Ann and Sarah were sisters, as Sarah's maiden name has never been recorded. Nevertheless, Isaac Abraham provided a huge bond so Sarah could be the adminstratrix for her late husband's estate, thus suggesting some connection. Reports in Links that land belonging to Francis eventually came to belong to William's descendants are incorrect.

Another tentative connection is through a John Parrott, one of the earliest Parrotts in North America, having arrived onboard the Providence in 1623 and having obtained land along the Nansemond River by 1635 and called it 'Parraketo Point.' There is a lot of speculation that surrounds John of Nansemond, none of which can be corroborated or ruled out at this time. He has said to be the 3rd son of Sir John Perrott, lord deputy of Ireland. He has also been said to be John the Quaker. If John of Nansemond and John the Quaker were one and the same, then there is a tentative link to the Quaker Parrott families of North America.

In the end, the only thing that can be said with certainty is that a Francis and a Lawrence Parrott arrived in Maryland ca 1660, and nothing indicates a relationship between these two. Francis may have been related to William and Gabriel Parrott of Talbot Co. Maryland.

A generation later, a Lawrence Parrott appears in Northumberland Co., Virginia, and a Francis Parrott appears in the Chowan district of Albemarle Co., North Carolina in 1691. The DNA of their descendants shows this Francis and this Lawrence were related to each other, so Lawrence from Northumberland and Francis from Bertie could have been brothers or cousins, among other possibilities, but were not otherwise related to the Francis Parrott of Maryland. The exact nature of their relationship cannot be determined based on DNA alone.

A legend that has persisted in some branches of the Lawrence Parrott family is that Lawrence was the son of a Robert Parrott. From there, it was assumed that this Robert was the same as the brother of Richard Perrott of Middlesex Co. Richard mentions his brother Robert in a deed dated 1672, and refers to Robert's two eldest sons, but the names of the sons are never given, leading to speculation that they might have been Lawrence or Francis. Given the current DNA data, if Francis and Lawrence were descended from a Robert, this Robert is not the brother of Richard. One version of the Robert-as-ancestor story dates back to the Civil War era, when the story was that Robert had helped steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. In fact, the list of prisoners in the Tower of London does show that a Robert Perrot was jailed there in 1671. Although the reason for his imprisonment is not recorded, an Edward Parrot was jailed at the same time, for helping Captain Thomas Blood steal the Crown Jewels. Edward and Captn Blood were released, but there is no record of Robert's fate, though he is thought to be the rebel by that name who was executed at Taunton, Somerset, in 1685, for participating in the Monmouth Rebellion.

Lastly, there is a Symon Parrott, who first got transported to Middlesex in 1650, and later to Gloucester Co. in 1654. How the Lawrence/Francis Parrott lineage relates to other Parrott lineages not yet tested for DNA remains unknown. Besides the Middlesex Parrotts, there are records of several Parrotts in the mid to late 1700's in Gloucester Co., where Lawrence Sr. was from. These include George Nevil, George, Richard, Fanny, John, Elizabeth, Robert, Augustine, Joseph, and Lucy. These may have been descended from the other sons previously mentioned for Lawrence Sr., or perhaps from Symon.

DNA testing has also shown a third line of Parrotts to be related to the descendants of Lawrence and Francis, though the connection between them is unknown. The earliest known member of this third lineage is Benjamin, who appears in Guilford (later Rockingham) Co., North Carolina first on 18 August 1778 when he obtained a land grant for 500 acres on both sides of Wolf Island Creek. This grant is part of the land which Benjamin Parrott, Sr. sold to Abner (his son?) on 9 May 1789.

Based on genetic genealogy, the descendants of Lawrence Parrott belong to what is known as an "I1a* haplogroup" or "Anglo-Saxon" type. This type of DNA is primarily found in the northern Germany/Denmark parts of Europe, and to a lesser extent, in Scandinavia. All in all, the DNA information suggests this lineage is descended from Anglo-Saxon or perhaps Viking migration to England. Vikings are simply the descendants of Anglo-Saxons who continued their northward migration.


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The widow Frances Johnson Parrott married Martin Frederick Razor and had 2 children: Christina and Edward.

Upon petition of Martin Frederick Razor showing a tract of land containing 160 acres in Chowan County, formerly granted to Francis Parrott and lapsed for want of bring seated in due time petitioner prays the same be granted to him. Ordered that same be granted as prayed for at Court held at Hon. Thos. Pollack's Chowan County August 1717. (Col. Rec. Bk. 2 page 291) This land was located on Salmon Creek of Log House Swamp.

Francis lived in New Hancock County, North Carolina in 1696.

Susannah Johnson to grandchildren a deed of gift, County of Albermarle Precinct of Chowan for the love, good will and affection I bear toward my grandchildren, Jacob Parrott, Susannah Parrott and Elizabeth Parrott, son and daughters fo Francis Parrott lately deceased (1715) Book 1 page 178 Chowan Reg. of Deeds office.

On 29 May, 1701, Francis and 4 other men were apponted Justices of Chowan Precinct N.C.

FRANCIS WAS JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND WAS WITNESS TO MANY TRANSACTIONS:

CHOWAN PRECINCT DEED BOOK W#1
102 Page 52 Richard Beluin and Elizabeth Beluin. 20 Mar. 1704
112 57 John Thomas to Coll. Thomas Pollock. 22 Nov. 1704
115 59 Coll. Thomas Pollock to Robert West. 1 Jan. 170-
126 63 Robert West to Coll. Thomas Pollock. 1 Jan 1704
133 65 Coll. Thomas Pollock to Thomas West. 23 July 1706
235 107-109 Meeting of the Justices of Chowan Prec't. at the house of William Branch, 3rd
Tuesday of April 1711, Francis Parrott, Leonard Lefton, Wm. Williams.
349 166 Thomas Pollock to Edward Williams. 14 June 1701

CHOWAN PRECINCT DEED BOOK B#1
756 178 Susana Johnson to Jacob Parrott, Susanna Parrott and Elizabeth Parrott
21 April 1715, Francis Parrott, lately dec'd.
818 263 William Duckenfield to Thomas West. 17 April 1716
825 272 John Bently to Alexander Smith. 16 Nov. 1711
867 322 Daniel Halsey to Thomas West. 29 July 1716. Land ajoining Francis
Parrott, dec'd ye mouth of a branch and river.

CHOWAN PRECINCT DEED BOOK C#1
1298 55 Thomas West to Thomas Pollack. 10 Nov. 1720. West side of Chowan River adjoining Charles Eden, Governor, aforesaid Pollock, Francis Parrott, and the river.

CHOWAN PRECINCT DEED BOOK B#1
1652 7-8-9- at ye house of Henry King. 19 July 1715. Frances Parrott, Prays letter of Administratiion on ye Estate of Francis Parrott her husband dec'd. Granted according to her petition.

• Married: 1695 in Chowan Co., North Carolina
• Change Date: 3 Jan 2008

1. Jacob Parrott b: 5 May 1696 in Bertie Co., North Carolina
2. Elizabeth Parrott b: 1702 in Bertie Co., North Carolina
3. Susannah Parrott b: 1705 in Bertie Co., North Carolina