NameCensus.

UK surname

Press

An occupational surname referring to someone who operated a printing press or worked in the printing industry.

In the 1881 census there were 861 people recorded with the Press surname, ranking it #4,393 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 982, ranked #5,886, down from #4,393 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Tutbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Bucks, Amber Valley and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Press is 1,237 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.1%.

1881 census count

861

Ranked #4,393

Modern count

982

2016, ranked #5,886

Peak year

1911

1,237 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Press had 861 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,393 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 982 in 2016, ranked #5,886.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,237 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Press surname distribution map

The map shows where the Press surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Press surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Press over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 581 #4,390
1861 historical 515 #5,083
1881 historical 861 #4,393
1891 historical 879 #4,683
1901 historical 1,128 #4,297
1911 historical 1,237 #3,823
1997 modern 1,076 #5,176
1998 modern 1,104 #5,243
1999 modern 1,116 #5,235
2000 modern 1,079 #5,345
2001 modern 1,057 #5,337
2002 modern 1,075 #5,368
2003 modern 1,060 #5,339
2004 modern 1,048 #5,400
2005 modern 1,003 #5,532
2006 modern 1,013 #5,503
2007 modern 1,020 #5,521
2008 modern 1,036 #5,486
2009 modern 1,045 #5,576
2010 modern 1,053 #5,637
2011 modern 1,022 #5,718
2012 modern 1,005 #5,712
2013 modern 1,012 #5,763
2014 modern 994 #5,889
2015 modern 987 #5,872
2016 modern 982 #5,886

Geography

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Where Press' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Tutbury and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Bucks, Amber Valley, East Staffordshire, Wakefield and South Derbyshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Tutbury Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Bucks 002 South Bucks
2 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
3 East Staffordshire 004 East Staffordshire
4 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
5 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Press

These lists show first names that appear often with the Press surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Press

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Press, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Press surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Press household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Press is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Press is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Press falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Press is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Press, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Press

The surname Press originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "presse," which means "a press" or "a wine press." This occupation-based surname was likely first adopted by someone who worked as a presser of grapes or cloth.

The earliest recorded instance of the Press surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where a John le Presse is mentioned. Another early record is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which lists a Roger le Presse.

In the 14th century, the surname was also recorded as "Presse" and "Presse," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. As people began to adopt hereditary surnames, the name may have been influenced by local place names such as Presse in Normandy, France.

Notable individuals with the Press surname include John Press (1676-1738), an English antique collector and author of "A Treatise on the Antiquities of Cyprus." Another is Sir Anthony Morris Storer Press (1770-1835), a British admiral who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, Mordecai Press (1803-1884) was a Polish-born Jewish scholar and translator who settled in England. William Press (1811-1890) was a Scottish minister and author of several religious works.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Press surname in America is John Press, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Later, Robert Press (1714-1766) was a prominent merchant and landowner in New Jersey.

Throughout its history, the Press surname has been associated with various occupations, including winemakers, clothiers, and pressers of goods, reflecting its roots as an occupation-based name derived from the Old French word "presse."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Press families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Press surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 242 Press' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 242 2.87x
Norfolk 86 6.64x
Yorkshire 60 0.72x
Somerset 59 4.35x
Surrey 56 1.37x
Staffordshire 44 1.55x
Kent 40 1.39x
Gloucestershire 37 2.24x
Cheshire 33 1.78x
Lancashire 32 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 24 2.12x
Essex 17 1.02x
Glamorgan 15 1.02x
Cambridgeshire 12 2.25x
Durham 12 0.48x
Sussex 12 0.85x
Suffolk 11 1.07x
Berkshire 10 1.58x
Warwickshire 9 0.42x
Derbyshire 8 0.61x
Hampshire 8 0.46x
Lanarkshire 8 0.29x
Cumberland 7 0.97x
Devon 5 0.29x
Oxfordshire 3 0.58x
Hertfordshire 2 0.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.21x
Northumberland 2 0.16x
Angus 1 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.29x
Isle of Man 1 0.64x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town in Middlesex leads with 34 Press' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.59x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 34 25.59x
Great Yarmouth 29 27.05x
St Pancras London 28 4.13x
Tutbury 26 375.18x
Nottingham St Mary 23 7.84x
Clifton 20 23.96x
St Marylebone London 19 4.23x
Edmonton 17 25.06x
Camberwell 16 2.98x
Hornsey 13 12.21x
Islington London 13 1.59x
Paddington London 13 4.20x
Coltishall 12 436.36x
St George In East 12 20.96x
Burnham 11 106.49x
Burton Upon Trent 11 16.55x
Shoreditch London 11 3.01x
Bury 10 8.76x
Gorleston 10 38.39x
North Walsham 10 107.18x
West Ham 10 2.73x
Canterbury St Mary N 9 463.92x
Dukinfield 9 10.48x
Frome 9 27.77x
York St John Micklegate 9 447.76x
Accrington 8 8.81x
Bermondsey 8 3.19x
Bollington In 8 48.37x
Bromley London 8 4.32x
Cameley 8 526.32x
Clapham 8 7.60x
Clewer 8 30.90x
Hampstead London 8 6.10x
Kenilworth 8 66.83x
New Monkland 8 9.94x
Poringland 8 588.24x
South Hamlet 8 78.28x
St Andrewthe Great 8 116.11x
Westminster St James 8 9.24x
Bath St Michael 7 102.19x
Bishopwearmouth 7 3.26x
Charlton Next Woolwich 7 23.37x
Chelsea London 7 2.76x
Cheltenham 7 5.50x
Deptford St Paul 7 3.16x
Friern Barnet 7 37.76x
Hollingworth 7 91.38x
Holy Trinity 7 3.49x
Ilkley 7 51.36x
Kingston On Thames 7 7.10x
Llandaff 7 14.35x
St Decumans Watchet 7 204.08x
Stretford 7 12.74x
Tottenham 7 5.22x
Woolwich 7 6.60x
Workington 7 16.87x
Milborne Port 6 110.70x
Newington 6 1.93x
Roath 6 9.01x
York All Sts North 6 145.28x
Eston 5 27.52x
Hackney London 5 1.06x
Heigham 5 7.20x
Leeds 5 1.06x
Long Eaton 5 28.74x
Rochester St Margaret 5 16.51x
Stowell 5 1851.85x
Wandsworth 5 6.17x
York St Mary 5 14.47x
Appletreewick 4 579.71x
Ashford 4 60.15x
Ashton On Mersey 4 41.62x
Aylsham 4 51.88x
Farnham 4 12.54x
Framfield 4 90.91x
Norwich St Stephen 4 33.67x
Sandbach 4 25.24x
St Clement Danes 4 29.35x
St Luke London 4 2.96x
Walthamstow 3 5.02x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Press surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 28
Alice 19
Emily 16
Emma 16
Eliza 15
Jane 15
Annie 11
Ellen 11
Martha 11
Ann 10
Ada 9
Harriett 8
Maria 8
Amy 5
Charlotte 5
Clara 5
Louisa 5
Rose 5
Edith 4
Elizth. 4
Ethel 4
Florence 4
Grace 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Laura 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Beatrice 3
Betsy 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Margaret 3
Sophia 3
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Eleanor 2
Elizbeth 2
Mahalie 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Priscilla 2
Rhoda 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Press surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 42
William 41
Thomas 27
James 25
George 22
Alfred 19
Henry 16
Samuel 14
Charles 13
Walter 13
Frederick 12
Herbert 11
Joseph 11
Robert 11
Arthur 9
Edward 8
Richard 8
Benjamin 7
Ernest 7
Clement 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Francis 4
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Leonard 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Fred 2
Fredc. 2
Fredrick 2
Jerome 2
Reuben 2
Sydney 2
Willm. 2
Archibald 1
Bertie 1
Carl 1
Christopher 1
Franz 1
Frederic 1
Hyman 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Luke 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Press surname: questions and answers

How common was the Press surname in 1881?

In 1881, 861 people were recorded with the Press surname. That placed it at #4,393 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Press surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 982 in 2016. That gives Press a modern rank of #5,886.

What does the Press surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who operated a printing press or worked in the printing industry.

What does the Press map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Press bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.