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

Prentice, 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 Prentice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prentice in America

Prentice is the 4505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prentice surname appeared 7,874 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Prentice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prentice 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 Prentice

The surname Prentice originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "aprentis," meaning "apprentice" or "learner." This occupational name was initially given to individuals who were bound to a master craftsman or tradesman to learn a particular skill or trade.

During the medieval period, the Prentice surname was found primarily in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. Early records show variations in spelling, including Prentiz, Prentys, and Prentisse. One of the earliest known references to the name is in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, where it is recorded as "Willelmus Prentiz."

The Prentice surname appears in several historical documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which mention a "Johannes Prentys." The name is also found in the Kalendar of Abbot Sampsons Eton College from 1557, where a "William Prentice" is recorded as a scholar.

Notable individuals with the Prentice surname throughout history include:

1. Robert Prentice (c. 1500 - c. 1560), an English churchman and academic who served as the Dean of Winchester.
2. John Prentice (1587 - 1620), an English clergyman and theologian who wrote several religious works.
3. Thomas Prentice (1621 - 1673), an English Puritan minister and author of various theological treatises.
4. Ralph Prentice (1640 - 1723), a prominent English clockmaker known for his intricate and innovative timepieces.
5. William Prentice (1701 - 1768), an English writer and compiler of the "Parliamentary Register" and other historical works.

Some historical place names associated with the Prentice surname include Prentice Farm in Oxfordshire and Prentice Hill in Buckinghamshire, both of which likely derived their names from individuals or families bearing this surname in the respective areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prentice

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

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 Prentice 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 Prentice 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 Prentice was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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