NameCensus.

UK surname

Pressey

A surname possibly derived from the French "prêt" meaning "ready" or "prepared."

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Pressey surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lymington, Swindon, Lyddington and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, South Gloucestershire and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pressey is 211 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.1%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1911

211 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pressey had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Pressey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pressey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pressey 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 52 #23,915
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 211 #14,467
1997 modern 149 #21,214
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 125 #24,492
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Presseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lymington, Swindon, Lyddington, Newchurch, London parishes 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 New Forest, South Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight and Gloucester. 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 Lymington Hampshire
2 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 008 New Forest
2 South Gloucestershire 030 South Gloucestershire
3 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
4 South Gloucestershire 023 South Gloucestershire
5 Gloucester 001 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pressey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pressey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pressey, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Pressey is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pressey is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pressey falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pressey 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 Pressey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pressey

The surname Pressey is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "preiseie," meaning "meadow" or "pasture." This suggests that the name was originally associated with someone who lived near or worked on a meadow or pastureland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, where it appears as "Preisy." Other early spellings include "Preseye" and "Pressey," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Pressey, a landowner from Norfolk, England, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines records in 1316. Another notable individual was William Pressey, a merchant from London, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1379.

In the 16th century, the Pressey name was associated with the village of Pressey, located in Northamptonshire, England. It is believed that some families may have taken their name from this place, contributing to the growth and spread of the surname.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several Pressey families emigrated from England to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Samuel Pressey, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Another notable figure was Benjamin Pressey, a Puritan minister born in England in 1663, who later became the president of Harvard College in Massachusetts.

Other notable individuals with the Pressey surname include:

1. Edward Pressey (1719-1795), an English painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings. 2. Rachel Pressey (1804-1888), an American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Pressey Female Seminary in Vermont. 3. William Pressey (1830-1919), an English-born Australian politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. 4. Edward Pressey (1872-1942), an American psychologist and educator, known for his contributions to the field of educational psychology and teaching methods. 5. Rachel Pressey (1885-1972), an American social worker and philanthropist, who established the Pressey House, a settlement house in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Pressey surname has a rich history spanning several centuries and continues to be found in various parts of the English-speaking world, reflecting the migrations and contributions of its bearers throughout the ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pressey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pressey 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. Hampshire leads with 28 Presseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.18x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 28 12.18x
Wiltshire 26 26.21x
Middlesex 23 2.05x
Surrey 18 3.29x
Herefordshire 8 17.39x
Berkshire 4 4.75x
Warwickshire 4 1.41x
Kent 3 0.78x
Sussex 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Downton in Wiltshire leads with 18 Presseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1384.62x.

Place Total Index
Downton 18 1384.62x
Bow London 10 70.03x
Lymington 9 532.54x
Sanderstead 9 6000.00x
Linton In Bromyard 8 4000.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 26.58x
St Pancras London 6 6.64x
Newchurch 5 961.54x
Sway 5 1612.90x
Baydon 4 3636.36x
Edmonton 4 44.25x
Aston 3 3.85x
Battersea 3 7.27x
Deptford St Paul 3 10.16x
Niton 3 967.74x
Swindon 3 38.96x
Alverstoke 2 24.04x
Coleshill 2 1666.67x
Greenham 2 476.19x
Hanwell 2 100.50x
Portsmouth 2 37.81x
Ventnor 2 91.32x
Birmingham 1 1.06x
Hastings St Leonards 1 35.97x
Paddington London 1 2.42x
Whiteparish 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Alace 1
Batrice 1
Chharlotte 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margery 1
Marianne 1
Nelcie 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
William 7
Charles 6
James 4
John 4
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Aurthur 1
Benjamin 1
Elighes 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Nye 1
Rubin 1
Silas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pressey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pressey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Pressey surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pressey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Pressey a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Pressey surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the French "prêt" meaning "ready" or "prepared."

What does the Pressey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pressey 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.