2000
#3,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,341
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.09
Rare Last name
Prewitt
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Prue's wood" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,074 Americans carry the last name Prewitt. That puts it at #4,336 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,773 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Prewitt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Prewitt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.1K
1 in 37,773
Census rank
#4,336
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,913 bearers of the surname Prewitt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4336th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Prewitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Prewitt
The surname Prewitt is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "preost" meaning "priest" and "wic" meaning "dwelling" or "village." It suggests that the name was originally used to identify someone who lived near a priest's residence or in a village with a church.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Prewitt dates back to the 13th century in the county of Wiltshire, England, where it appeared in the form "Preostwic." This spelling variation reflects the linguistic evolution of the name over time.
In the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to several places with names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname Prewitt, such as "Prestewicha" in Gloucestershire and "Prestewald" in Essex.
One notable individual bearing the name Prewitt was Sir John Prewitt, a prominent English landowner who lived in the 14th century. He was granted various estates and properties by King Edward III in recognition of his loyal service during the Hundred Years' War.
Another historical figure associated with the surname Prewitt was Thomas Prewitt, a wealthy merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 16th century. He made significant contributions to the city's economy and was involved in international trade ventures.
In the 17th century, the Prewitt family established themselves in the colonies of Virginia and Maryland, where they were among the early settlers. One member of this family, William Prewitt (1635-1701), was a prominent landowner and farmer in Stafford County, Virginia.
During the American Revolutionary War, Captain John Prewitt (1740-1821) served in the Continental Army and participated in several key battles, including the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Yorktown.
Another notable Prewitt was Mary Prewitt (1810-1888), a pioneer and early settler in Oregon. She and her husband were among the first families to travel the Oregon Trail, and they played a significant role in the development of the Pacific Northwest region.
Throughout history, the surname Prewitt has been associated with various professions, including clergy, landowners, merchants, soldiers, and pioneers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Prewitt
Among Census respondents with the surname Prewitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Prewitt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Prewitt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.4% · 5,727
- Black or African American19.3% · 1,525
- Two or more races4.7% · 373
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 208
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 45
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 35
Timeline
Historical Census data for Prewitt
Prewitt appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#4,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,371
+30 bearers (+0.4%)
Per 100,000 2.84
Rank movement Down 319 places
2020
#4,336
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,913
-458 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 2.65
Rank movement Down 102 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,915 | 8,341 | 3.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,234 | 8,371 | 2.84 | +30 bearers (+0.4%) | Down 319 places |
| 2020 | #4,336 | 7,913 | 2.65 | -458 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 102 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Prewitt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,234 | #4,336 | -2.4% |
| Count | 8,371 | 7,913 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.84 | 2.65 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Prewitt bearers went from 8,371 to 7,913 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 102 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,234 to #4,336.
FAQ
Prewitt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Prewitt?
Name Census estimates that about 9,074 living Americans carry the surname Prewitt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,773 residents.
How common is Prewitt?
Prewitt ranks #4,336 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,913 people with the surname Prewitt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,074), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Prewitt.
Has Prewitt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Prewitt went from 8,371 recorded bearers to 7,913. That is a decrease of 458 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,234 to #4,336.
What does the Census say about the background of Prewitt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Prewitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.4%. The next largest groups are Black (19.3%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Prewitt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.4% (5,727 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Prewitt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.4%), Black (19.3%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Prewitt (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Prewitt mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Prue's wood" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Prewitt (2.65 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Prewitt?
You can see how many people have the last name Prewitt on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.