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

Prosser, 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 Prosser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prosser in America

Prosser is the 4312th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prosser surname appeared 8,244 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Prosser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prosser 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 Prosser

The surname Prosser has its origins in the Welsh language and can be traced back to the region of Pembrokeshire in South West Wales. It is believed to have derived from the Old Welsh word 'proser', which means a maker or trader of brooches or ornamental clasps. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been skilled craftsmen or merchants dealing in such wares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prosser can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Proser' in the county of Gloucestershire, England. This entry likely refers to a person of Welsh descent who had settled in the area after the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name Prosser appeared in various records and manuscripts, often in its anglicized form of 'Proser' or 'Prosour'. In the 14th century, a certain William Proser was listed as a landowner in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its current form of 'Prosser'. One notable bearer of this surname was Richard Prosser, a Welsh politician and member of Parliament who lived from 1592 to 1670.

Over the centuries, the Prosser family spread throughout Britain and beyond. In the 18th century, Thomas Prosser (1732-1817) was a notable Welsh ironmaster and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the iron industry in South Wales.

Another individual of note was Ralph Barnes Prosser (1829-1899), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Coventry Cathedral. He was well-known for his writings on theology and church history.

In the literary world, the name Prosser is associated with the English novelist and playwright William Wymark Jacobs (1863-1943), whose full name was William Wymark Prosser Jacobs. He is best remembered for his humorous short stories, including the famous tale "The Monkey's Paw".

Lastly, a more recent figure with the surname Prosser is the American actress and model Amanda Prosser (born 1979), who has appeared in various television shows and films.

While the name Prosser may have evolved over time and spread across different regions, its roots can be traced back to the Welsh heritage and the skilled craftsmen who made ornamental clasps and brooches in ancient times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prosser

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

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

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

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