NameCensus.

UK surname

Prichard

An occupational surname for a gravedigger, derived from the Old English "prichëard" meaning "hard digger" or "powerful digger."

In the 1881 census there were 2,756 people recorded with the Prichard surname, ranking it #1,620 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 882, ranked #6,392, down from #1,620 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Llanbeblig, Abererch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Monmouthshire and Newport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prichard is 4,094 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 68.0%.

1881 census count

2,756

Ranked #1,620

Modern count

882

2016, ranked #6,392

Peak year

1851

4,094 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prichard had 2,756 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,620 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 882 in 2016, ranked #6,392.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,094 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Prichard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prichard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prichard 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 4,094 #698
1861 historical 2,969 #970
1881 historical 2,756 #1,620
1891 historical 1,939 #2,376
1901 historical 1,595 #3,238
1911 historical 1,496 #3,224
1997 modern 959 #5,672
1998 modern 988 #5,724
1999 modern 1,007 #5,682
2000 modern 974 #5,819
2001 modern 915 #6,007
2002 modern 942 #5,968
2003 modern 918 #5,985
2004 modern 921 #5,974
2005 modern 931 #5,874
2006 modern 894 #6,078
2007 modern 898 #6,096
2008 modern 892 #6,163
2009 modern 932 #6,077
2010 modern 976 #5,984
2011 modern 934 #6,150
2012 modern 875 #6,385
2013 modern 896 #6,362
2014 modern 895 #6,399
2015 modern 892 #6,363
2016 modern 882 #6,392

Geography

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Where Prichards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Llanbeblig, Abererch, London parishes, Holyhead and Llanddeiniolen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Monmouthshire, Newport, Gwynedd and Broxtowe. 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 Llanbeblig Carnarvonshire
2 Abererch Carnarvonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Holyhead Anglesey
5 Llanddeiniolen Carnarvonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 030 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Monmouthshire 007 Monmouthshire
3 Newport 001 Newport
4 Gwynedd 010 Gwynedd
5 Broxtowe 007 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prichard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prichard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Prichard, 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 Prichard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Prichard 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Prichard 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

Prichard 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

Prichard 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 Prichard 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 Prichard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Prichard

The surname Prichard originated in Wales during the early Middle Ages. It is derived from the Welsh personal name Rhisiart, which is a variation of the name Richard. The name Richard is derived from the Germanic elements ric, meaning "power" or "ruler," and hart, meaning "hardy" or "brave."

The surname Prichard first appeared in the records of Merionethshire, a county in northern Wales. It was initially spelled as Prytherch or Pritchard, reflecting the Welsh pronunciation of the name. Some variations include Prichart, Prichett, and Pritchett.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Richard in Shropshire, England. This suggests that the name had already become established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Rhys Prichard was a Welsh prince and Lord of Penllyn. He played a significant role in the conflicts between the Welsh rulers and the English crown during the reign of King Edward I.

Another notable individual with this surname was Sir William Prichard (c. 1480-1542), a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament for Anglesey during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also a supporter of the Protestant Reformation in Wales.

In the 17th century, a Welsh clergyman named Rhys Prichard (1579-1644) was known for his translation of the Book of Common Prayer into Welsh. He also served as the Vicar of Llandovery and was a leading figure in the Welsh literary renaissance.

Thomas Prichard (1768-1836) was a Welsh physician and writer who made significant contributions to the field of medicine. He published several works on nervous disorders and mental health, and his work influenced the development of modern psychiatry.

Another notable bearer of this surname was James Cowles Prichard (1786-1848), an English physician, anthropologist, and ethnologist. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern anthropology and is best known for his work on the origins and distribution of human races.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the surname Prichard, which has its roots in the Welsh language and culture but has also been embraced by people of various nationalities and professions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prichard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prichard 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. Caernarfonshire leads with 900 Prichards recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.97x.

County Total Index
Caernarfonshire 900 82.97x
Anglesey 245 51.53x
Glamorgan 159 3.40x
Middlesex 154 0.57x
Monmouthshire 139 7.17x
Surrey 96 0.73x
Lancashire 83 0.26x
Staffordshire 81 0.89x
Brecknockshire 72 13.42x
Herefordshire 67 6.09x
Merionethshire 57 11.61x
Gloucestershire 55 1.05x
Denbighshire 54 5.33x
Worcestershire 52 1.48x
Warwickshire 48 0.71x
Cheshire 47 0.79x
Kent 40 0.44x
Flintshire 39 5.41x
Yorkshire 37 0.14x
Sussex 30 0.66x
Lanarkshire 29 0.33x
Shropshire 28 1.21x
Radnorshire 23 10.63x
Carmarthenshire 20 1.77x
Somerset 16 0.37x
Wiltshire 16 0.67x
Durham 13 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.36x
Cornwall 12 0.40x
Hampshire 12 0.22x
Pembrokeshire 12 1.41x
Devon 11 0.20x
Derbyshire 10 0.24x
Northumberland 10 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.36x
Leicestershire 7 0.24x
Northamptonshire 6 0.24x
Cardiganshire 5 0.76x
Berkshire 4 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.24x
Norfolk 4 0.10x
Angus 3 0.12x
Argyllshire 3 0.40x
Cumberland 3 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.51x
Hertfordshire 3 0.16x
Midlothian 3 0.08x
Channel Islands 2 0.25x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.28x
Essex 2 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.31x
Westmorland 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanddeiniolen in Caernarfonshire leads with 123 Prichards recorded in 1881 and an index of 193.95x.

Place Total Index
Llanddeiniolen 123 193.95x
Bangor 93 88.89x
Llanrug 68 239.35x
Llandwrog 53 139.44x
Amlwch 50 111.73x
Llanbeblig 44 39.97x
Abererch 42 264.48x
Llanllyfni 41 80.09x
Llandegai 40 120.48x
Aberdaron 39 351.35x
Denio 36 141.90x
Ynyscynhaiarn 33 65.35x
Beddgelert 28 228.39x
Llanbadrig 28 287.18x
St Pancras London 27 1.25x
Chester St John Baptist 26 24.43x
Llanarmon 25 414.59x
Kington 24 88.11x
Lambeth 23 0.98x
Paddington London 23 2.33x
Llanwnda 22 109.45x
Swansea Town 22 5.74x
Llaneilian 21 238.10x
Aston 20 1.07x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.72x
Bodedern 19 202.56x
Clerkenwell London 18 2.84x
Brighton 17 1.86x
Clynnog 17 114.56x
Llanaelhaiarn 17 127.25x
Llanelly 17 26.48x
Bedwellty 16 4.67x
Llangybi 16 306.51x
Llannor 16 183.70x
Meliden 16 152.38x
Nevin 15 81.48x
Ystradyfodwg 15 3.66x
Bermondsey 14 1.75x
Chepstow 14 42.40x
Llandyfrydog 14 288.07x
Pentyrch 14 72.58x
Aberdare 13 4.05x
Cannock 13 8.23x
Clifton 13 4.89x
Criccieth 13 116.38x
Llanrwst 13 37.06x
Aberffraw 12 132.60x
Birmingham 12 0.53x
Islington London 12 0.46x
Leeds 12 0.80x
Llanberis 12 42.98x
Llanover 12 18.12x
Lucton 12 833.33x
Toxteth Park 12 1.11x
Llandudno 11 28.45x
Llangian 11 109.78x
Penrose 11 395.68x
Barony 10 0.46x
Llanfihangel Y Pennant 10 152.67x
Moss Side 10 5.97x
Penmachno 10 52.27x
Trefdraeth 10 121.80x
Worcester St John 10 23.90x
Broughton 9 22.60x
Clapham 9 2.68x
Holyhead 9 10.15x
Ilkeston 9 7.64x
Kensington London 9 0.60x
Llanbedrog 9 181.09x
Llandebie 9 27.45x
Llanfaelrhys 9 526.32x
Penmorfa 9 79.58x
St Marylebone London 9 0.63x
Tidenham Beachley 9 158.17x
Wolverhampton 9 1.29x
Eltham 8 14.91x
Mavesyn Ridware 8 184.33x
Ramsgate 8 5.35x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 0.83x
Wingate 8 14.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 185
Jane 126
Elizabeth 125
Ellen 77
Margaret 73
Ann 68
Sarah 66
Anne 51
Catherine 37
Eliza 34
Hannah 26
Martha 22
Annie 20
Emma 19
Alice 18
Louisa 15
Emily 14
Fanny 14
Cathrine 11
Florence 11
Margret 11
Edith 10
Harriet 10
Margt. 10
Ellin 9
Grace 8
Laura 8
Frances 7
Maria 7
Caroline 6
Helen 6
Maggie 6
Agnes 5
Cathe. 5
Clara 5
Eth. 5
Janet 5
Susan 5
Cathrin 4
Elisabeth 4
Elizth. 4
Gwen 4
Harriett 4
Isabella 4
Lizzie 4
Lucy 4
Mabel 4
Matilda 4
Eleanor 3
Winifred 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 207
John 180
Thomas 109
Richard 67
David 58
Robert 58
Hugh 53
Owen 48
George 45
Henry 41
Charles 36
James 36
Griffith 26
Edward 24
Evan 20
Joseph 17
Alfred 15
Samuel 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 13
Walter 11
Morris 9
Wm. 9
Edwin 8
Ellis 8
Albert 7
Thos. 7
Herbert 6
Lewis 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 4
Humphrey 4
Willm. 4
Edgar 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Robt. 3
Roger 3
Rowland 3
Amos 2
Edwd. 2
Elias 2
Geo. 2
Mark 2
Maurice 2
Morgan 2
Oliver 2

FAQ

Prichard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prichard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,756 people were recorded with the Prichard surname. That placed it at #1,620 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prichard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 882 in 2016. That gives Prichard a modern rank of #6,392.

What does the Prichard surname mean?

An occupational surname for a gravedigger, derived from the Old English "prichëard" meaning "hard digger" or "powerful digger."

What does the Prichard map show?

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