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 562
Agricultural Labourer 55
Labourer 54
Chain Maker 49
Nail Maker 46
Domestic Servant 38
Coal Miner 35
Dress Maker 27
Nailer 27
General Servant 24
Blacksmith 19
Miner 18
Annuitant 17
Laundress 17
Bricklayer 16
Gardener 15
Chair Maker 14
Nurse 12
House Keeper 12
Farm Servant 11
No Occupation 10
Cotton Weaver 10
General Servant Domestic 10
Milliner 9
Nailor 9

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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