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

Prew, 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 Prew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prew in America

Prew is the 37492nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prew surname appeared 594 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 Prew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prew 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 Prew

The surname PREW has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "preu," meaning "brave" or "valiant." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term to someone who displayed qualities of bravery or courage.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name PREW can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain William Preu is listed. This indicates that the name was already established in that region by the early 14th century.

During the medieval period, the PREW surname was concentrated primarily in the southern counties of England, particularly in Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. It is possible that the name has connections to the village of Prew in Gloucestershire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname or vice versa.

In the 16th century, records show a John Prew who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in 1542. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of the Midlands region by that time.

One notable bearer of the PREW surname was Sir John Prew, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Bristol during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was born in 1560 and became a prominent figure in the city's trade and civic affairs.

Another historical figure with the PREW surname was Thomas Prew, a Puritan minister who was born in Gloucestershire in 1609. He later emigrated to New England and served as a pastor in several congregations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

In the 18th century, a family of PREWs was recorded in the parish records of Weston-under-Penyard, Herefordshire. Among them was William Prew, who was born in 1712 and worked as a farmer.

During the 19th century, the PREW surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with some instances of the spelling variations "Prue" and "Prugh" appearing in certain records.

Overall, the surname PREW has a long and intriguing history, with its roots firmly planted in the English countryside and its earliest bearers likely being individuals of notable bravery or valor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prew

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

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

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

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