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

Prior, 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 Prior surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prior in America

Prior is the 5154th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prior surname appeared 6,787 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Prior.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prior 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 Prior

The surname PRIOR is an occupational name of English origin, derived from the Old French word "priour" meaning a monastic superior or the head of a priory. This name emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th-13th century.

The name PRIOR was initially associated with individuals who held the position of a prior or the head of a religious house or monastery. It was a title given to those who oversaw the daily operations and spiritual guidance of a priory, which was a smaller monastic community subordinate to an abbey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PRIOR can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a medieval census conducted in 1279. This document mentions a John le Priour, indicating the use of the name as an occupational identifier.

Another notable reference is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a landholder named Robertus Prior in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name PRIOR may have been in use even before the 12th century, possibly as a descriptive term for individuals associated with monastic life.

During the 13th century, the surname PRIOR appears in various records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1221, where a Richard le Priur is mentioned. This roll documented legal proceedings in the royal court of King Henry III.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname PRIOR was William Prior (c. 1390-1446), an English monk and religious reformer. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Bridgettine Order in England and was instrumental in founding the Syon Abbey in Middlesex.

Another notable figure was Matthew Prior (1664-1721), an English poet and diplomat. He served as an ambassador to France and is best known for his poetic works, including "An Ode to the Queen" and "Solomon on the Vanity of the World."

In the 18th century, Thomas Prior (1679-1751) was an influential English Jesuit and philosopher. He made contributions to the field of logic and wrote several philosophical treatises, including "A Specimen of True Philosophy" and "An Authentic Narrative of the Dissensions in the Church of the English Catholicks."

Moving forward, James Prior (1790-1869) was a British architect and engineer who played a significant role in the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Camberwell Green Church and the Hungerford Bridge in London.

Lastly, Matthew Prior Jr. (1808-1873), the grandson of the poet Matthew Prior, was a notable English novelist and playwright. He authored several works, including the novel "The Wanderer" and the play "The Life of Edmund Kean."

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the surname PRIOR, reflecting its historical ties to monastic life and the religious orders of the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prior

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

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

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

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