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

Prestwood, 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 Prestwood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prestwood in America

Prestwood is the 23019th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prestwood surname appeared 1,110 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 Prestwood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prestwood 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 Prestwood

The surname Prestwood originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the county of Staffordshire. It is a locational name derived from the place name "Prestwood," which is a combination of the Old English words "preost" meaning "priest" and "wudu" meaning "wood." This suggests that the name likely referred to a wooded area owned or inhabited by a priest or connected to a religious institution.

The earliest known records of the surname Prestwood date back to the late 13th century. In 1296, a William de Prestwood was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire. The prefix "de" in this instance indicates the name was used as a locational identifier, referring to someone from the area of Prestwood.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Prestwode, Prestwud, and Prestewode, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography during that period. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the personal preferences of scribes and record-keepers.

One notable early figure bearing the name Prestwood was Sir John Prestwood, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 14th century. Records show that he was granted lands in Staffordshire by King Richard II in 1388.

Another individual of note was William Prestwood, a merchant and alderman who resided in London during the 16th century. He was known for his involvement in the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the city.

In the 17th century, the surname Prestwood gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Prestwood (1632-1705), an English clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire and wrote several theological works during his lifetime.

One of the earliest known instances of the surname Prestwood appearing in North America was in 1635, when a Richard Prestwood was recorded as a landowner in the Virginia colony. This suggests that some individuals bearing the name had already begun to migrate across the Atlantic by the mid-17th century.

Throughout the centuries, the Prestwood surname has been carried by various individuals, including authors, clergy members, landowners, and merchants. While not a particularly widespread name, it has left a notable footprint in the historical records of England and the broader English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prestwood

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

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

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

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