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

Presnell, 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 Presnell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Presnell in America

Presnell is the 8168th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Presnell surname appeared 4,058 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Presnell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Presnell 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 Presnell

The surname PRESNELL has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "praest" meaning priest, and "nelle" meaning valley or stream, suggesting a connection to a dwelling or location associated with a priest near a valley or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where it appears as "Prestenel." This spelling variation indicates that the name may have initially referred to a person living in a priest's valley or near a priest's stream.

During the 14th century, the surname began appearing in various records across different counties in England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where it is written as "Prestenell." This further solidifies the connection between the name and its potential origins related to a priest and a geographic location.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1443, recorded as "Prestner." This variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time and the potential influence of regional dialects on its spelling.

One notable bearer of the PRESNELL surname was Sir John Presnell, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 16th century. He was born in 1520 and held land in Gloucestershire, contributing to the local community and serving as a justice of the peace.

Another historically significant figure with this surname was William Presnell, born in 1685 in Oxfordshire. He was a prominent scholar and educator, serving as the headmaster of the prestigious Merchant Taylors' School in London during the early 18th century.

In the 17th century, the surname can be found in parish records from various counties in England, including the baptismal record of Mary Presnell in 1643 at St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire, and the marriage record of Thomas Presnell and Elizabeth Wilkins in 1678 at St. Olave's Church in London.

As the name spread across England over the centuries, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Pressnall, Pressnell, and Presnall, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times.

Throughout its history, the PRESNELL surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, from landed gentry to scholars and educators, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Presnell

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

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

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

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