Pressly
An English surname derived from an Old French word meaning "from the press" or "from the vine press".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 686 Americans carry the last name Pressly. That puts it at #37,288 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 499,642 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pressly surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
686
1 in 499,642
Census rank
#37,288
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
598
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 598 bearers of the surname Pressly in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 37288th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pressly, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pressly
The surname Pressly originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "preost" meaning priest, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, essentially translating to "priest's meadow." This suggests the name may have referred to someone who lived near or worked on land owned by a priest or church.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across southern England. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a Henry de Prestelaye in Oxfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a William de Prestley in Sussex. Similar spellings like Presteley, Preistley, and Prestlay were common during this era.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Prestlay, born around 1410 in Wiltshire. He served as a clerk and scribe for the local monastery, lending credence to the name's ecclesiastical origins. Another early figure was William Prestley (1505-1570), a landowner and farmer from Somerset who was involved in local governance.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Presslys began migrating to other parts of England and Scotland. Notable individuals from this period include Robert Pressly (1580-1644), a merchant and alderman in the city of Edinburgh, and Elizabeth Pressly (1625-1692), a Quaker preacher and writer from Lancashire.
In the 18th century, the name spread to Ireland and later to North America with the wave of Scottish and Irish immigration. One of the first Presslys in America was James Pressly (1720-1782), a Scottish farmer who settled in Pennsylvania. His descendants went on to become prominent figures in the Presbyterian Church, including Reverend John Pressly (1768-1855), a founder of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Other notable Presslys throughout history include Sir John Pressly (1835-1914), a British businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London, and Mary Pressly (1880-1962), an American author and journalist known for her work on women's suffrage and social reform.
Overall, the surname Pressly has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with connections to the clergy and landownership. Over time, it has spread across the British Isles and beyond, carried by individuals from various walks of life.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pressly
Among Census respondents with the surname Pressly, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Pressly bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pressly surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1%
- Black or African American5.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Two or more races1.7%
- Unknown or suppressed0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Pressly surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,630 | #37,288 | -1.8% |
| Count | 576 | 598 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.21 | 0.20 | -4.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Pressly bearers went from 576 to 598 (+3.8% change). The surname moved down 658 positions in the national ranking, going from #36,630 to #37,288.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Pressly
FAQ
Pressly surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Pressly?
The surname Pressly holds position #37,288 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 686 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Pressly surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pressly, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.