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

Priest, 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 Priest surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Priest in America

Priest is the 2430th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Priest surname appeared 14,915 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Priest.

We can also compare 2010 data for Priest 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 Priest

The surname Priest is an English occupational surname that originated in the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English word "preost", meaning a member of the clergy or a priest. The name was initially used to refer to individuals who served in a religious capacity, particularly in the Christian church.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Priest can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. The name was often spelled differently in historical records, such as "Prest" or "Preste", reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable historical reference to the name Priest can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The Hundred Rolls mention individuals with the surname Priest, indicating their presence and significance in medieval English society.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Priest became more widespread across England, appearing in various legal documents, tax records, and parish registers. Some notable bearers of the name during this period include John Prest (c. 1370-1437), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, and William Preste (c. 1440-1504), a prominent clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Carlisle.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Priest continued to be associated with members of the clergy, as well as those who held positions of authority within the Church of England. However, it also began to be adopted by individuals with no direct connection to the clergy, reflecting the increasing secularization of surnames during this period.

Notable individuals with the surname Priest throughout history include Sir Vincent Priest (1629-1681), an English politician and member of Parliament; Josiah Priest (1778-1853), an American writer and historian known for his works on Native American history; and Henry Priest (1792-1858), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

While the surname Priest has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and colonial expansion. Today, the name can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Priest

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

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

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

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