Prinsloo last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Prinsloo

An Afrikaans surname derived from "prins" meaning "prince" and "loo" meaning "forest or woods".

Prinsloo, 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 Prinsloo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prinsloo in America

Prinsloo is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prinsloo surname appeared 118 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 Prinsloo.

The history of the last name Prinsloo

The surname Prinsloo is of Afrikaner Dutch origin and is believed to have originated in the Western Cape region of South Africa during the 17th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch words "prins" meaning "prince" and "loo" referring to a small forest or grove. This combination suggests that the name may have originated from a location or settlement known for its wooded surroundings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Prinsloo surname can be found in the baptismal records of the Dutch Reformed Church in Cape Town, dating back to the late 1600s. In these records, the name is often spelled as "Prinslou" or "Printzlou," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era.

During the Great Trek of the 19th century, when many Afrikaner settlers migrated from the Cape Colony to the interior regions of Southern Africa, the Prinsloo name gained prominence. One notable figure from this period was Jacobus Prinsloo (1770-1828), a prominent Voortrekker leader who played a significant role in the establishment of the Boer settlements in the Orange Free State and Natal regions.

Another historical figure bearing the Prinsloo name was Joachim Prinsloo (1842-1899), a Boer military leader who served as the Chief Commandant of the Orange Free State during the Second Boer War. He was captured by the British forces in 1900 and later died in a prisoner-of-war camp in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka).

In the 20th century, the Prinsloo name continued to be associated with notable individuals, such as Johanna Prinsloo (1905-1995), a South African botanist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and systematics.

Another prominent figure was Robert Prinsloo (1920-2006), a South African author and playwright known for his works exploring themes of Afrikaner identity and the Boer War. His novel "Verhoor" (The Interrogation) received critical acclaim and was later adapted into a stage play.

Lastly, Marais Prinsloo (1925-2011) was a respected South African jurist who served as a judge in the Supreme Court of South Africa and played a crucial role in shaping the country's legal system during the transition to democracy in the 1990s.

While the Prinsloo surname has its roots in the Dutch-speaking communities of South Africa, it has since spread worldwide, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prinsloo

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

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 Prinsloo was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only93.22%110
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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.

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

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

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