NameCensus.

UK surname

Prestwich

An English locational surname derived from the town of Prestwich near Manchester.

In the 1881 census there were 406 people recorded with the Prestwich surname, ranking it #7,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 330, ranked #13,765, down from #7,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, Eccles and Stockport. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Fylde and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prestwich is 489 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.7%.

1881 census count

406

Ranked #7,880

Modern count

330

2016, ranked #13,765

Peak year

1891

489 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prestwich had 406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016, ranked #13,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 489 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Prestwich surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prestwich surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prestwich 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 111 #16,006
1861 historical 338 #7,541
1881 historical 406 #7,880
1891 historical 489 #7,570
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 388 #11,255
1998 modern 396 #11,435
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 388 #11,664
2001 modern 377 #11,723
2002 modern 379 #11,913
2003 modern 374 #11,828
2004 modern 373 #11,859
2005 modern 369 #11,901
2006 modern 363 #12,123
2007 modern 355 #12,458
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 346 #13,075
2010 modern 342 #13,440
2011 modern 343 #13,277
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 335 #13,622
2016 modern 330 #13,765

Geography

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Where Prestwichs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, Eccles, Stockport, Ashton-under-Lyne and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Fylde, Doncaster and Tameside. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Stockport Lancashire
4 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 007 Oldham
2 Fylde 004 Fylde
3 Doncaster 001 Doncaster
4 Fylde 006 Fylde
5 Tameside 001 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prestwich

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prestwich

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Prestwich is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Prestwich is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Prestwich falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Prestwich is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Prestwich

The surname Prestwich originates from the town of Prestwich, located in the county of Lancashire, England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "preost" meaning priest and "wic" meaning a farm or dwelling, indicating that the area was likely a settlement owned or occupied by a priest during the Anglo-Saxon period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Prestwich can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Prestewic". This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, variations of the surname included Prestwych, Prestwich, and Prestwiche. These spellings were often interchangeable, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling in those times.

Prestwich was also used as a place name, referring to the town itself. In 1251, a record mentions "Adam de Prestwich", indicating that the surname had become hereditary by that time.

One notable individual bearing the surname Prestwich was Sir John Prestwich (c. 1498-1567), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as the ambassador to Scotland and played a crucial role in the negotiations surrounding the Treaty of Edinburgh.

Another significant figure was Thomas Prestwich (1585-1654), an English composer and organist who served as the organist at the Chapel Royal during the reigns of James I and Charles I.

In the 18th century, Edmund Prestwich (1714-1777) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Chester.

Moving into the 19th century, Joseph Prestwich (1812-1896) was a renowned English geologist and writer, best known for his contributions to the study of Tertiary and Quaternary periods.

Lastly, Sir John Prestwich (1871-1956) was a British engineer and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the steel industry in South Wales during the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Prestwich throughout history, reflecting the name's deep roots and long-standing presence in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prestwich families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prestwich 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. Lancashire leads with 349 Prestwichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.41x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 349 7.41x
Cheshire 27 3.08x
Yorkshire 11 0.28x
Surrey 9 0.47x
Middlesex 4 0.10x
Berkshire 2 0.67x
Isle of Man 1 1.36x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.10x
Somerset 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 47 Prestwichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.65x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 47 45.65x
Pendleton In Salford 44 78.39x
Oldham 42 27.62x
Pilkington 24 134.08x
Heap 16 64.03x
Bury 14 26.01x
Great Bolton 11 17.63x
Manchester 11 5.19x
Broughton In Salford 10 23.21x
Dukinfield 10 24.69x
Denton 9 86.21x
Openshaw 9 40.80x
Wandsworth 9 23.55x
Dilworth 8 276.82x
Tonge 8 80.97x
Tonge With Haulgh 8 87.24x
Tottington Lower End 8 35.73x
Bentham 7 233.33x
Everton 6 4.00x
Hulme 6 6.10x
Barrow In Furness 5 7.80x
Birkenhead 5 7.16x
Chadderton 5 21.71x
Little Bolton 5 8.25x
Preston 5 3.97x
Stockport 5 11.09x
Cheadle 4 23.89x
Droylsden 4 26.02x
Farnworth 4 14.17x
Heaton Norris 4 14.92x
Little Heaton 4 353.98x
Middleton In Oldham 4 28.31x
Wortley In Bramley 4 12.84x
Chorley 3 11.35x
Great Lever 3 60.00x
Halliwell 3 17.49x
Alston 2 91.32x
Atherton 2 11.66x
Burnley 2 5.04x
Pennington In Leigh 2 22.12x
Stanford In Vale 2 169.49x
Tottenham 2 3.16x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 2.82x
Birmingham 1 0.30x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 2.67x
Cheetham 1 2.85x
Chelsea London 1 0.84x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.34x
Claughton With Grange 1 25.06x
East Chinnock 1 126.58x
Great Heaton 1 196.08x
Haughton 1 14.56x
Kearsley 1 10.09x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.78x
Llanwnog 1 52.63x
Malew 1 15.53x
Mottram 1 25.19x
Nantwich 1 9.82x
North Meols 1 2.17x
Over Darwen 1 2.66x
South Kelsey 1 119.05x
Westminster St 1 6.83x
Whittingham 1 48.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Sarah 21
Ann 12
Hannah 11
Jane 11
Elizabeth 9
Alice 8
Emma 7
Annie 6
Eliza 5
Isabella 5
Betsy 4
Ellen 4
Martha 4
Edith 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Bertha 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Etty 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Nancy 2
Rachael 2
Rachel 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Annetta 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Eva 1
Georgena 1
Harriet 1
Leah 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margret 1
Margt.Ann 1
Margt.Ellen 1
Marianne 1
Marion 1
Miria 1
Sydney 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
James 18
Robert 18
William 16
Joseph 11
George 7
Thomas 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Richard 5
Wright 5
Joshua 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Henry 3
David 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Algernon 1
Almieth 1
Almuth 1
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Moses 1
Nimrod 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Simeon 1

FAQ

Prestwich surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prestwich surname in 1881?

In 1881, 406 people were recorded with the Prestwich surname. That placed it at #7,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prestwich surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 330 in 2016. That gives Prestwich a modern rank of #13,765.

What does the Prestwich surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from the town of Prestwich near Manchester.

What does the Prestwich map show?

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