NameCensus.

UK surname

Prewett

A surname derived from the words "pree" (to prove) and "wett" (wet), possibly referring to a water inspector.

In the 1881 census there were 262 people recorded with the Prewett surname, ranking it #10,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 404, ranked #11,793, down from #10,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Philip and Jacob and Bedwelty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Blaenau Gwent and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prewett is 439 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.2%.

1881 census count

262

Ranked #10,721

Modern count

404

2016, ranked #11,793

Peak year

1999

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prewett had 262 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016, ranked #11,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 391 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Prewett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prewett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prewett 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 262 #10,721
1891 historical 258 #12,440
1901 historical 319 #11,166
1911 historical 391 #9,443
1997 modern 426 #10,490
1998 modern 425 #10,859
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 430 #10,804
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 433 #10,780
2003 modern 418 #10,896
2004 modern 405 #11,177
2005 modern 420 #10,781
2006 modern 423 #10,765
2007 modern 430 #10,729
2008 modern 421 #11,010
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 420 #11,536
2011 modern 429 #11,197
2012 modern 408 #11,567
2013 modern 421 #11,462
2014 modern 427 #11,393
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 404 #11,793

Geography

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Where Prewetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Philip and Jacob, Bedwelty, Thornbury, Rockhampton and Westbury-on-Trym, Henbury, Compton Greenfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Gloucestershire, Blaenau Gwent, Ashfield, Whitehill and Bristol. 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 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
3 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
4 Thornbury, Rockhampton Gloucestershire
5 Westbury-on-Trym, Henbury, Compton Greenfield Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Gloucestershire 030 South Gloucestershire
2 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
3 Ashfield 014 Ashfield
4 Whitehill South Lanarkshire
5 Bristol 007 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prewett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prewett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Prewett, 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 Prewett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Prewett 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Prewett 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

Prewett 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

Prewett 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 Prewett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Prewett

The surname Prewett is of English origin, first recorded in the 13th century in the county of Somerset. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "preau" and "hwitt," meaning "pear tree" and "white" respectively, suggesting it may have initially referred to someone who lived near a pale or light-colored pear tree.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Robert Prewhit." This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time, with the transition from "Prewhit" to "Prewett" likely occurring in the 14th or 15th century.

During the Tudor period, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Prewett (c. 1470-1537), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Bridgwater in 1529 and played a role in the local administration of the county.

In the 17th century, the Prewett family established themselves in the parish of Uffculme, Devon. Here, they were prominent landowners and benefactors to the local church. One notable figure was John Prewett (1630-1704), who served as the High Sheriff of Devon in 1690.

Another significant individual from this lineage was Thomas Prewett (1678-1754), a wealthy merchant and shipowner based in Bristol. His maritime ventures contributed to the city's prosperity during the Golden Age of Atlantic Trade.

Moving into the 19th century, the name Prewett gained recognition in the literary world through the works of author and journalist William Prewett (1819-1893). Born in Devonshire, he was a prolific writer and editor, contributing to various publications and penning several novels.

While the Prewett surname may have originated from a descriptive phrase, it has since become a distinct English surname with a rich history spanning several centuries. Its bearers have left their mark in various fields, from politics and administration to commerce and literature, ensuring the name's enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prewett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prewett 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. Gloucestershire leads with 110 Prewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.86x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 110 21.86x
Wiltshire 38 16.75x
Hampshire 31 5.90x
Somerset 15 3.63x
Monmouthshire 14 7.55x
Surrey 9 0.72x
Herefordshire 8 7.61x
Middlesex 8 0.31x
Sussex 8 1.85x
Berkshire 4 2.08x
Dorset 4 2.38x
Shropshire 4 1.80x
Yorkshire 4 0.16x
Kent 3 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.64x
Glamorgan 1 0.22x
Norfolk 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alderbury in Wiltshire leads with 26 Prewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2429.91x.

Place Total Index
Alderbury 26 2429.91x
Bristol St George 18 77.35x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 18 38.00x
Henbury 14 569.11x
Thornbury 13 377.91x
Bitton Oldland 12 233.46x
Bristol St James In 8 108.11x
Marstow 8 6153.85x
Southampton St Mary 8 24.20x
Trevethin 8 45.69x
Bedminster 7 18.04x
Almondsbury 6 312.50x
Brighton 6 6.88x
North Bradley 6 361.45x
Weston 6 188.68x
Bishopstoke 5 370.37x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 5 109.17x
Millbrook 5 37.76x
Mynyddyslwyn 5 68.31x
Stapleton 5 52.41x
Berkeley 4 142.86x
Lambeth 4 1.79x
Nether Wallop 4 579.71x
Reading St Giles 4 21.18x
St Martin 4 161.29x
Tidenham Beachley 4 740.74x
Hampton London 3 71.09x
Langley Burrell 3 319.15x
Lymington 3 77.72x
St Pancras London 3 1.45x
Barford St Martin 2 487.80x
Battersea 2 2.12x
Camberwell 2 1.22x
Hammersmith London 2 3.17x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 12.22x
Holdenhurst 2 14.50x
Slaugham 2 142.86x
St Lawrence 2 33.22x
Walcot 2 9.10x
Appleton Le Moors 1 384.62x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.96x
Cardiff St John 1 6.85x
Cranborne 1 49.02x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.48x
Ecclesfield 1 5.36x
Farlington 1 93.46x
Langley Marish 1 52.63x
Minstead 1 131.58x
Plaitford 1 666.67x
Portland 1 11.05x
Portsmouth 1 8.26x
Sherborne 1 20.16x
St Woollos 1 4.83x
Swanage 1 48.08x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 23.92x
Wandsworth 1 4.05x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.87x
Wherwell 1 208.33x
Woolaston 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 14
Mary 11
Elizabeth 10
Emily 9
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Clara 3
Edith 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Agnes 1
Alberta 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bess 1
Blanche 1
Eirene 1
Eleanor 1
Emeline 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Hariett 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Kinewen 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Rosetta 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 13
James 11
William 11
George 9
Henry 9
Albert 7
Ernest 5
John 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Hugh 2
Mark 2
Oliver 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
C. 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jonah 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Tho. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wilm.H.Stephen 1
Wm 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Prewett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prewett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 262 people were recorded with the Prewett surname. That placed it at #10,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prewett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016. That gives Prewett a modern rank of #11,793.

What does the Prewett surname mean?

A surname derived from the words "pree" (to prove) and "wett" (wet), possibly referring to a water inspector.

What does the Prewett map show?

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