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

Prim, 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 Prim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prim in America

Prim is the 14713th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prim surname appeared 2,019 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Prim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prim 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 Prim

The surname Prim has its origins in Medieval England and derives from the Old English word 'prem', meaning 'first' or 'chief'. It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname, referring to someone who was the head or leader of a particular group or community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prim can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Primus'. This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the late 11th century in England.

During the 13th century, the surname Prim began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. These records provide evidence of the name's continued use and evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the name Prim was recorded in various forms, including 'Pryme' and 'Prymme'. These variations likely emerged due to local dialect and pronunciation differences across different regions of England.

One notable historical figure with the surname Prim was Sir Robert Prim, a 15th-century English knight and landowner from Hertfordshire. He was born around 1420 and served as a member of the King's Council during the reign of King Henry VI.

Another prominent individual with the Prim surname was William Prim, an English clergyman and author who lived during the 16th century. He was born in 1504 and is best known for his work titled 'A Treatise on the Reformation of the Church of England'.

In the 17th century, the name Prim continued to be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court documents. One notable bearer of the name was John Prim, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who was born in 1623.

During the 18th century, the surname Prim was also associated with several notable figures, including Jonathan Prim, an English philosopher and writer who was born in 1719. He is best known for his work on ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the name Prim gained further recognition with individuals such as Sir John Prim, a British military officer and politician who served in the Crimean War. He was born in 1810 and played a significant role in shaping British military strategy during that conflict.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prim

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!