Prior Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Prior Name Meaning: The name is from Latin 'prior' meaning 'superior' & used to denote a prior,offen a 'monastic' official assistant to an 'abbot'.

This name was usually used as a 'nickname' for someone thought to resemble a 'prio'r or 'occupational' for a servant of a prior.

Discover how your Prior ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Prior Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Prior family

Profession Census Frequency
School 1,018
Farm Labourer 129
General Servant (domestic) 83
General Labourer 80
Private Means 64
Labourer 54
None 51
Domestic Servant 45
Dressmaker 39
Laundress 34
Carpenter 30
Gardener Domestic 30
At School 29
Coal Miner Hewer 29
Carman 28
Clerk 27
Farmer 26
Charwoman 25
House Painter 24
Bricklayer 23
Gardener (domestic) 23
Assisting In The Business 23
At Home 22
Cook (domestic) 22
Shop Assistant 22

Prior Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Parr 40% 54,381
2 Prior 100% 49,280
3 Pryor 80% 12,842
4 Pryer 60% 5,977
5 Prier 80% 4,075
6 Purr 40% 1,290
7 Pereira 43% 1,034
8 Perrie 33% 553
9 Pierre 33% 483
10 Pearer 33% 404
11 Perr 40% 219
12 Pirrie 33% 216
13 Perree 33% 170
14 Priar 80% 131

Did you know?

The surname Prior is the 2nd most popular variant of Parr.

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