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

Prouty, 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 Prouty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prouty in America

Prouty is the 8209th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prouty surname appeared 4,042 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 Prouty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prouty 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 Prouty

The surname Prouty originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "prouet," which means "small meadow" or "little meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or owned a small meadow.

During the medieval period, the name Prouty appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279, where it was spelled as "Pruet." The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Prouty or its variants.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Prouty, who was born in Wiltshire, England, in the late 15th century. Another notable individual was John Prouty, who lived in Oxfordshire, England, during the 16th century and was mentioned in parish records.

The name Prouty can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Prouty's Farm in Warwickshire and Prouty's Hill in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the surname Prouty who owned or lived in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Prouty:

1. Ezra Prouty (1786-1865), an American inventor and manufacturer who patented various agricultural tools and machines.
2. Jedidiah Prouty (1793-1856), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont.
3. Emily Prouty (1837-1923), an American educator and activist who advocated for women's rights and co-founded the Association for the Advancement of Women.
4. Edward Prouty (1874-1944), an American actor and film director who appeared in several silent films during the early 20th century.
5. Olive Higgins Prouty (1882-1974), an American novelist and screenwriter best known for her novel "Stella Dallas," which was later adapted into a successful film.

While the surname Prouty has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in North America, where many individuals of English descent have carried on the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prouty

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

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

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

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