This gentilic adjective means 'Persian,' referring to someone from Persia. In Nehemiah 12:22, it appears with the definite article, 'the Persian,' referring to a specific Persian king during whose reign Levitical genealogies were recorded. The reference is most likely to either Darius II (423-404 BC) or Darius III (336-331 BC), though scholarly opinion varies. The notation indicates that official records of priestly families were maintained during Persian rule, showing administrative continuity across the imperial transition. These genealogical registers were crucial for establishing legitimate priestly descent for temple service.