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

Prescott, 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 Prescott surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Prescott in America

Prescott is the 139757th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prescott surname appeared 110 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Prescott.

The history of the last name Prescott

The surname Prescot originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a habitational name from any of several places called Prescot or Prescott, such as Prescot in Merseyside, Prescott in Gloucestershire, or Presscott in Lancashire. The name itself is derived from the Old English preost, meaning priest, and cot or cote, signifying a cottage or shelter. Hence, the name Prescot translates directly to "priest's cottage" or "priest's dwelling."

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be traced back to the 12th century. Historical references mention the name in various forms, including Prescote and Preistcote, reflecting the phonetic spellings of the era. One of the earliest documented uses of the surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1194, with a William de Prestat as a prominent figure.

A significant historical record that mentions the name is the "Feet of Fines," a collection of documents recording property transactions. In the year 1278, a Henry de Prescote is listed in a property dispute in Lancashire. Yet another instance of the surname appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield during the late 13th century, specifically in the year 1297, where John de Prescote is cited.

Among the notable bearers of the surname is Robert Prescott (1783-1871), a British military officer who served in the British colonial administration. His career was distinguished by notable postings, including the position of Governor of Canada. Another prominent figure is William H. Prescott (1796-1859), an American historian and Hispanist noted for his extensive works on the history of Spain and Latin America, such as "The History of the Conquest of Mexico."

Jane Prescott (1590-1640) was another historical figure, noted for her role in local English governance during a period when women in such positions were rare. More recently, Samuel Prescott (1751-1777), an American patriot in the Revolutionary War, is renowned for his midnight ride to warn the colonists of the approaching British forces.

The evolution of the surname Prescot is closely tied to its geographical roots and the linguistic transformations over centuries. The name's history is a rich tapestry of regional identity, social status, and gradual linguistic change, making it a subject of considerable interest in onomatological studies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prescott

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Prescott 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!