Find out how popular the last name Prelow is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Prelow.

Prelow, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Prelow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prelow in America

Prelow is the 89403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prelow surname appeared 207 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Prelow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prelow to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Prelow

The surname Prelow has its origins in the regions of what is now modern-day Germany and Poland. It is believed to have emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name derives from the Old German word "prelow," which means "meadow" or "grassy area," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or worked on a meadow or grazing land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prelow can be found in a land registry document from the town of Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) dated 1387, which mentions a farmer named Hans Prelow. This suggests that the name was already established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Prelow was Gerhard Prelow, a merchant and landowner from the city of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). He is mentioned in several trade records from the Hanseatic League, a powerful medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns.

During the 16th century, the Prelow name gained some renown in the arts and literature. Johannes Prelow (1515-1580), a German Renaissance painter and engraver, was known for his intricate woodcut illustrations of biblical scenes and allegories. His works can be found in museums and private collections across Europe.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the Prelow name was Hans Christoph Prelow (1625-1695), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Brandenburg. His compositions, which included sacred works and instrumental pieces, were highly regarded in his time.

Another figure of note was Johanna Prelow (1748-1812), a German writer and poet who published several collections of poems and plays during the Romantic era. Her works often explored themes of nature, love, and the human condition.

As the Prelow name spread across Europe, it also found its way to other regions. In the 19th century, a family bearing the name Prelow settled in the United States, with records showing a Johann Prelow (1820-1892) arriving in New York in the 1840s and eventually establishing a successful farming enterprise in Pennsylvania.

Overall, the surname Prelow has a rich and diverse history, with its roots firmly planted in the meadows and grasslands of medieval Germany and Poland. Throughout the centuries, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, artists, musicians, and writers, each contributing to the tapestry of the name's legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prelow

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Prelow.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Prelow was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Prelow has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Prelow was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Prelow, please contact us.

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