Priest Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Priest 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

Priest Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Priest family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 303
Agricultural Labourer 57
Nail Maker 48
House Servant 42
At Home 40
Dress Maker 39
Chain Maker 35
Labourer 31
Coal Miner 27
Farm Labourer 24
Nailer 22
Nailor 22
Servant 21
Miner 19
General Servant 19
Laundress 15
Pauper 10
Blacksmith 10
Shoe Maker 10
Nail Forger 10
Silk Winder 9
House Keeper 8
Annuitant 8
Sawyer 8
School 8

Priest Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Priest 100% 26,449
2 Prest 83% 7,821
3 Prust 67% 1,884
4 Prost 67% 735
5 Prist 83% 717
6 Preest 83% 371
7 Preist 67% 340
8 Prestoe 57% 142
9 Preast 67% 114

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

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