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

Prey, 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 Prey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prey in America

Prey is the 45804th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prey surname appeared 466 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 Prey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prey 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 Prey

The surname PREY originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "praed" or "prae," meaning "plunder" or "booty." This name likely referred to an individual who engaged in plundering or raiding activities, possibly a soldier or a bandit.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name PREY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1176, where it appears as "Willielmus Prae." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the late 12th century.

The PREY surname is also linked to various place names in England, such as Prays in Huntingdonshire and Praye in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root and may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1238, where it was recorded as "Robert le Prey." This spelling variation showcases the Norman influence on the name, with the addition of the prefix "le."

Notable individuals bearing the PREY surname include Geoffrey Prey, a prominent landowner in Somerset during the 14th century, and Robert Prey, a merchant and alderman in the city of London in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, John Prey, born in 1521, was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

Another remarkable figure was Sir William Prey (1602-1679), a distinguished military commander who fought alongside Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War and later became a member of Parliament.

During the 18th century, Elizabeth Prey (1745-1823) was a prominent writer and poet whose works gained recognition for their insightful commentary on social issues of the time.

The PREY surname has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, with roots in the Old English language and connections to various place names. While the name may have originated from individuals involved in plundering or raiding activities, it has since been associated with notable scholars, military figures, and writers throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prey

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

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

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

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