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
School 1,692
Cotton Weaver 171
Private Means 164
Farm Labourer 134
General Labourer 108
Farmer 101
Labourer 100
General Servant (domestic) 90
Weaver 86
Dressmaker 84
None 82
Coal Miner Hewer 77
Clerk 75
House Painter 60
At School 57
Bricklayer 57
Housekeeper 57
Domestic Servant 51
Scholar 51
At Home 50
Assisting In Business 47
Shop Assistant 47
Carter 45
House Keeper 44
Joiner 43

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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