<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-12-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000729237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PARKWAY PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PKY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001495741</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TPG Group Holdings (SBS) Advisors, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000860866</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BONDERMAN DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001099776</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COULTER JAMES G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TPG GLOBAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-12-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5535</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23618177</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Explanation of Responses</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">David Bonderman and James G. Coulter are directors, officers and sole stockholders of TPG Group Holdings (SBS) Advisors, Inc. (&quot;Group Advisors&quot; and, together with Messrs. Bonderman and Coulter, the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;), which is the general partner of TPG Group Holdings (SBS), L.P. (&quot;Group Holdings&quot;), which is the sole shareholder of TPG Holdings III-A, Inc., which is the general partner of TPG Holdings III-A. L.P., which is the general partner of TPG Holdings III, L.P., which is the sole member of TPG Genpar VI Delfir AIV Advisors, LLC, which is the general partner of TPG Genpar VI Delfir AIV, L.P., which is the general partner of TPG VI Pantera Holdings, L.P. (&quot;TPG Pantera&quot;), which directly holds 23,599,778 shares of Common Stock (the &quot;Common Stock&quot;) of Parkway Properties, Inc. (the &quot;Issuer&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Group Holdings is the sole member of TPG Holdings II-A, LLC, which is the general partner of TPG Holdings, II, L.P., which is the general partner of TPG Holdings II Sub, L.P., which is the sole member of TPG Capital Advisors, LLC, which is the sole member of TPG VI Management, LLC, (&quot;TPG Management&quot;), which directly holds 18,399 shares of Common Stock reported herein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Because of the relationship between the Reporting Persons and TPG Pantera and TPG Management, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own the Common Stock held by TPG Pantera and TPG Management to the extent of the greater of their respective direct or indirect pecuniary interests in the profits or capital accounts of TPG Pantera and TPG Management.  Each Reporting Person, TPG Pantera and TPG Management disclaims beneficial ownership of the Common Stock held by TPG Pantera and TPG Management, except to the extent of such Reporting Person's, TPG Pantera's and TPG Management's pecuniary interest therein, if any.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;Exchange Act&quot;), this filing shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Persons are, for purposes of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or otherwise, the beneficial owners of any shares of the Common Stock in excess of their respective pecuniary interests.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Issued as partial payment of a monitoring fee pursuant to the Management Services Agreement, dated June 5, 2012, between TPG Management and the Issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>(6) The Reporting Persons are jointly filing this Form 4 pursuant to Rule 16a-3(j) under the Exchange Act.

(7) Ronald Cami is signing on behalf of both Messrs. Bonderman and Coulter pursuant to the authorization and designation letters dated July 1, 2010, which were previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald Cami, on behalf of David Bonderman (6) (7)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald Cami, on behalf of James G. Coulter (6) (7)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald Cami, Vice President, TPG Group Holdings (SBS) Advisors, Inc. (6)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
