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
Cotton Weaver 235
Living On Own Means 210
General Labourer 178
General Servant Domestic 123
Dress Maker 116
Farmer 114
Scholar 94
Cook Domestic 64
Domestic Servant 60
Housemaid Domestic 51
Agricultural Labourer 51
Bricklayer 47
Woollen Weaver 46
House Maid Domestic 40
School 40
Dressmaker 38
Laundress Wash 38
Tailor 37
Stone Mason 37
Charwoman 36
House Painter 33
Butcher 31
Blacksmith 31
School Teacher 30
Cotton Winder 29

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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