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

Pritt, 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 Pritt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pritt in America

Pritt is the 10001st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pritt surname appeared 3,223 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 Pritt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pritt 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 Pritt

The surname Pritt is of English origin, originating in the 14th century from the Middle English word "pret" or "prett", meaning "trick" or "prank". It was likely initially a nickname bestowed upon someone known for their mischievous or playful behavior.

The earliest recorded instances of the Pritt surname can be found in various historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a certain John Pret is mentioned. The name also appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348, referencing a William Prett.

During the late medieval period, the surname Pritt was predominantly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Nottinghamshire, with some variations in spelling, including Prette, Pritte, and Prytte.

One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the Pritt surname was Sir Edward Pritt (1520-1589), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Pritt family established a strong presence in the village of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where several members of the family held influential positions within the local community. John Pritt (1635-1702) was a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as a Bailiff of Wakefield.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals with the Pritt surname, including Thomas Pritt (1758-1828), a renowned English poet and author who wrote extensively on topics ranging from agriculture to philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Pritt family continued to flourish, with James Pritt (1823-1891) becoming a highly respected lawyer and judge in London. His son, William Pritt (1859-1936), followed in his father's footsteps and had a successful career as a barrister and politician, serving as a Member of Parliament for Hampstead.

Another notable figure from this period was Mary Pritt (1835-1912), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first girls' schools in London.

The 20th century saw the rise of several prominent figures with the Pritt surname, including the esteemed British lawyer and politician, Denis Nowell Pritt (1887-1972), who was a vocal advocate for civil liberties and served as a Member of Parliament for Hammersmith North.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pritt

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

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

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

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