Parsley Family History

English (of Norman origin): altered form of the medieval family name Passelewe (assimilated by folk etymology to the herb name parsley). The medieval name is from Old French passe(r) ‘to pass or cross’ + l’ewe ‘the water’, hence a nickname, probably for a ferryman or a merchant who was in the habit of traveling overseas, or else someone who had been on a pilgrimage or crusade. It may also have been used as a topographic name for someone who lived on the opposite side of a watercourse from the main settlement.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press