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

Prins, 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 Prins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prins in America

Prins is the 14257th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prins surname appeared 2,102 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 Prins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prins 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 Prins

The surname Prins is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch word "prins" which means "prince." It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the Prins surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of North and South Holland, as well as in the region of Friesland. Historical records from this time period often spelled the name as "Prinse" or "Printz."

During the late Middle Ages, the Prins surname was commonly associated with individuals who held positions of authority or had close ties to nobility. This could include members of the royal court, high-ranking officials, or individuals who were in service to noble families.

One notable individual with the Prins surname was Jan Prins (1378-1449), a Dutch merchant and diplomat who served as an envoy to England during the reign of Henry V. Another prominent figure was Willem Prins (1543-1612), a Dutch theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Dutch Reformation.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Prins surname began to spread beyond the Netherlands as Dutch settlers and traders ventured to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas and other colonies. For instance, Jacob Prins (1595-1671) was a Dutch colonist who settled in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in the mid-17th century.

Throughout the following centuries, the Prins surname continued to be found across various regions of the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking areas. Notable individuals include Pieter Prins (1738-1804), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscapes and historical scenes, and Willem Prins (1811-1888), a Dutch politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1866 to 1868.

In more recent history, the Prins surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including artists, academics, and public figures. For example, the Dutch artist Marijke Prins (1955-present) is known for her abstract paintings and installations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prins

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

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

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

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