Preston Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Preston Name Meaning: Thought to have derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'preoston' meaning 'priest settlement'.

May refer to someone who lived in a settlement that a priest lived in or a settlement owned by the church. This surname may have also been taken from a settlment of the same name (for example Preston in Lancashire).

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Preston Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Preston family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,914
Agricultural Labourer 233
Labourer 202
Cotton Weaver 150
Domestic Servant 119
General Servant 94
Dress Maker 87
Coal Miner 72
House Keeper 65
Laundress 58
Farm Labourer 56
Farm Servant 56
Worsted Weaver 46
Annuitant 42
Servant 41
Shoe Maker 41
Blacksmith 41
Joiner 39
Nurse 35
Carpenter 34
Wife Of Above 34
Frame Work Knitter 33
Tailor 32
Gardener 31
Woollen Weaver 28

Preston Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Preston 100% 102,963
2 Priston 86% 2,351
3 Pearston 63% 374
4 Parston 71% 338
5 Perston 71% 219
6 Prestone 88% 132

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The surname Preston is the most popular version of all its varients

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