Primrose last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Primrose

A surname derived from the primrose flower, often given to those living near a primrose field.

Primrose, 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 Primrose surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Primrose in America

Primrose is the 21707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Primrose surname appeared 1,199 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 Primrose.

We can also compare 2010 data for Primrose 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 21707 20367 6.37%
Count 1,199 1,213 -1.16%
Proportion per 100k 0.41 0.45 -9.30%

The history of the last name Primrose

The surname PRIMROSE is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from various places in England, such as Primrose Hill in London and Primrose Hill in Lancashire, where the primrose flower grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a William de Primerosa. This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially associated with the primrose flower or a place where it thrived.

The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which lists a Richard de Primerose. This record highlights the evolution of the spelling from the earlier form 'Primerosa' to the more recognizable 'Primerose'.

In the 14th century, the surname PRIMROSE gained prominence with the birth of John Primrose (c. 1350 - c. 1420), a Scottish clergyman and diplomat who served as the Bishop of Glasgow and played a crucial role in negotiating the release of King James I from English captivity.

Another notable figure bearing this surname was Sir Archibald Primrose (1616 - 1679), a Scottish politician and judge who served as Lord Clerk Register and Lord Justice Clerk under King Charles II. He was also a member of the Privy Council and played a significant role in the administration of Scotland during the Restoration period.

In the literary realm, the name PRIMROSE is associated with the character Primrose Camilla Franconia, who appeared in the 1766 novel 'The Vicar of Wakefield' by Oliver Goldsmith. This fictional character's name was likely inspired by the primrose flower, which was a popular symbol of innocence and purity at the time.

Another notable bearer of the surname was James Primrose (1598 - 1641), a Scottish minister and academic who served as the principal of the University of Glasgow. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a significant role in the religious debates and controversies of his time.

The surname PRIMROSE has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Primrose Hill in London and Primrose Hill in Lancashire, further solidifying its connection to the primrose flower and its geographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Primrose

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

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 Primrose was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 88.24% 1,058
Non-Hispanic Black Only 8.26% 99
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.08% 13
Hispanic Origin 1.83% 22

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 Primrose has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 88.24% 87.06% 1.35%
Black 8.26% 8.49% -2.75%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.49% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.58% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.08% 1.15% -6.28%
Hispanic 1.83% 2.23% -19.70%

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

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

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"Primrose last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/primrose-surname-popularity/.

"Primrose last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/primrose-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Primrose last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/primrose-surname-popularity/.

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