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

Presby, 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 Presby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Presby in America

Presby is the 49546th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Presby surname appeared 424 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 Presby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Presby 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 Presby

The surname "PRESBY" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "preost," which meant "priest." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who worked in the clergy or had some association with the church.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry lists a person named Alwinus Presbiter, which translates to Alwin the Priest, as a landowner in Lincolnshire.

In the 13th century, the surname "Presby" began to appear in various historical records across different regions of England. For example, a man named William Presby was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1246, while a John Presby was listed in the Patent Rolls for Wiltshire in 1270.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including "Presby," "Presbie," "Presbye," and "Presbey." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that time.

One notable individual with the surname "Presby" was Sir James Presby, a merchant and politician who lived in the 16th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1569 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in recognition of his services to the city.

Another prominent figure was John Presby, a Puritan minister born in England in 1637. He later immigrated to America and became one of the founders of the town of Woodbridge, New Jersey, where he served as the first minister of the local church.

In the 18th century, a man named William Presby was a renowned clockmaker in London. His clocks were highly sought after and can still be found in museums and private collections today.

The surname "Presby" also has connections to various place names. For example, the village of Presbury in Gloucestershire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the Old English words "preost" and "byrig," meaning "priest's town."

While the surname "Presby" is not as common today as it once was, it continues to hold historical significance and provides a glimpse into the lives of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Presby

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

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

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

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