NameCensus.

UK surname

Prestwood

A locational surname referring to someone from a woodland clearing or glade.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Prestwood surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rochdale and Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cannock Chase, Trafford and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prestwood is 247 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.0%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

1998

247 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prestwood had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Prestwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prestwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prestwood 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 193 #15,469
1911 historical 241 #13,229
1997 modern 235 #15,895
1998 modern 247 #15,813
1999 modern 240 #16,226
2000 modern 232 #16,562
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 226 #16,766
2004 modern 216 #17,331
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 203 #18,105
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 205 #18,359
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 221 #17,979
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 229 #17,925
2015 modern 231 #17,733
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Prestwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Rochdale, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Manchester and Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cannock Chase, Trafford, Rochdale and Sunderland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Revesby, Mareham-le-Fen Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cannock Chase 011 Cannock Chase
2 Trafford 017 Trafford
3 Cannock Chase 012 Cannock Chase
4 Rochdale 023 Rochdale
5 Sunderland 013 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prestwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prestwood

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Prestwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Prestwood 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Prestwood is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Prestwood is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Prestwood falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Prestwood

The surname Prestwood originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the county of Staffordshire. It is a locational name derived from the place name "Prestwood," which is a combination of the Old English words "preost" meaning "priest" and "wudu" meaning "wood." This suggests that the name likely referred to a wooded area owned or inhabited by a priest or connected to a religious institution.

The earliest known records of the surname Prestwood date back to the late 13th century. In 1296, a William de Prestwood was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire. The prefix "de" in this instance indicates the name was used as a locational identifier, referring to someone from the area of Prestwood.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Prestwode, Prestwud, and Prestewode, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography during that period. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the personal preferences of scribes and record-keepers.

One notable early figure bearing the name Prestwood was Sir John Prestwood, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 14th century. Records show that he was granted lands in Staffordshire by King Richard II in 1388.

Another individual of note was William Prestwood, a merchant and alderman who resided in London during the 16th century. He was known for his involvement in the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the city.

In the 17th century, the surname Prestwood gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Prestwood (1632-1705), an English clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire and wrote several theological works during his lifetime.

One of the earliest known instances of the surname Prestwood appearing in North America was in 1635, when a Richard Prestwood was recorded as a landowner in the Virginia colony. This suggests that some individuals bearing the name had already begun to migrate across the Atlantic by the mid-17th century.

Throughout the centuries, the Prestwood surname has been carried by various individuals, including authors, clergy members, landowners, and merchants. While not a particularly widespread name, it has left a notable footprint in the historical records of England and the broader English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prestwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prestwood 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. Shropshire leads with 38 Prestwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.42x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 38 34.42x
Lincolnshire 26 12.73x
Glamorgan 14 6.29x
Staffordshire 13 3.01x
Monmouthshire 11 11.91x
Lancashire 9 0.59x
Cheshire 7 2.48x
Yorkshire 6 0.47x
Devon 3 1.13x
Surrey 3 0.48x
Brecknockshire 1 3.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Shropshire leads with 21 Prestwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 338.71x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 21 338.71x
Mareham Le Fen 13 4062.50x
Wrockwardine 12 493.83x
Trevethin 10 114.68x
Llanwonno 8 100.13x
Hulme 7 22.11x
Ystradyfodwg 6 30.74x
Cannock 5 66.40x
Dawley 5 124.38x
Horncastle 5 236.97x
Branston 4 634.92x
Dilhorne 4 555.56x
Handforth 4 1250.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 8.75x
Hoyland Swaine 3 909.09x
Newington 2 4.24x
Potter Hanworth 2 1052.63x
Salford 2 4.48x
Stockport 2 13.77x
Stonehouse East 2 148.15x
Bollin Fee 1 80.00x
Clapham 1 6.26x
East Stonehouse 1 19.08x
Huddersfield 1 5.42x
Llangunider 1 62.89x
Llanover 1 31.75x
Owston 1 172.41x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 24.15x
Stapleford 1 1428.57x
Thornhill 1 27.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 6
Mary 6
Emma 5
Ann 4
Hannah 4
Annie 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Aleathea 1
Alice 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Fanny 1
Helen 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Sarahannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 9
James 8
Thomas 8
Arthur 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
David 2
Edward 2
George 2
Henry 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Arnold 1
Esau 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Prestwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prestwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Prestwood surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prestwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Prestwood a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Prestwood surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a woodland clearing or glade.

What does the Prestwood map show?

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