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
Living On Own Means 49
Chain Maker 49
General Labourer 45
Coal Miner Hewer 29
Farmer 26
General Servant Domestic 24
Scholar 21
Dress Maker 20
Bricklayer 16
Cotton Weaver 16
Laundress Wash 15
Charwoman 15
Cook Domestic 14
Domestic Servant 14
Housemaid Domestic 14
Coal Miner C Hewer 14
School 13
Tailoress 13
Bricklayer Labourer 11
Attending School 9
Grocer 9
House Maid Domestic 9
Agricultural Labourer 9
Gardener Domestic 9
Nail Maker 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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