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Very Rare

Printiss

An English masculine name of unknown origin and meaning.

Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Printiss. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Printiss today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Printiss births was 1948 (5 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Printiss. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.

Key insights

  • The typical person named Printiss is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Printiss' were born before 1955.
  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Printiss. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

3

~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans

Peak year

1948

5 babies that year

Average age

81

years old

1948 SSA rank

#4,064

Tracked since 1948

Popularity

Printiss: popularity over time

Babies born per year

01345

Decades

Printiss by decade

The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Printiss during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
1940s505

Origin

Meaning and history of Printiss

The name Printiss has its origins in the Old French language, derived from the word "prunte," which means "borrowed" or "loaned." It emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, when the practice of borrowing or lending was becoming more prevalent in medieval European societies.

Printiss was initially used as a surname for individuals who were involved in the lending or borrowing of goods, services, or money. It was a way to identify their occupation or profession within their communities. Over time, the surname evolved into a given name, although its usage has remained relatively uncommon.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Printiss can be found in the historical records of the town of Nottingham, England, in the year 1287. The records mention a man named Printiss de Lyndeby, who was a local tradesman involved in lending and borrowing activities.

Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the name Printiss. One such person was Printiss Waldo (1722-1789), a respected farmer and landowner from Connecticut, United States. He played a significant role in the early development of the town of Windham, where he lived and worked.

Another individual of note was Printiss Willard (1838-1912), an American educator and author. She was a pioneer in the field of domestic science and wrote several influential books on household management and cooking in the late 19th century.

In the realm of literature, Printiss Ingraham (1798-1857) was an American writer and historian who authored several historical novels and biographies, including "The Quadroone" and "The Prince of the House of David."

Printiss Abram Brown (1864-1942) was an African American educator and civil rights activist. He worked tirelessly to improve educational opportunities for Black students in the segregated South and served as the president of several prominent Black colleges and universities.

Lastly, Printiss Milton Jones (1902-1984) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to various educational and charitable organizations, particularly those focused on supporting underprivileged communities.

While the name Printiss has remained relatively obscure throughout history, it carries a unique legacy and connection to the medieval traditions of lending and borrowing. Its usage has spanned across different cultures and time periods, although it has never achieved widespread popularity as a given name.

People

Printiss + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Printiss as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.

Related

Other names starting with P

Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.

FAQ

Printiss: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Printiss?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Printiss going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 114,251,446 US residents.

Is Printiss a common name?

We classify Printiss as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Printiss most popular?

The single biggest year for Printiss was 1948, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Printiss is about 81 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

What does the SSA popularity chart show?

The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Printiss in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Printiss a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Printiss in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.

Is Printiss still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Printiss in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.

Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?

Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Printiss can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.

Where does this data come from?

First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.

How many Americans are named Printiss?

HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.

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