NameCensus.

UK surname

Priest

An occupational surname referring to a clergyman or someone who performed religious ceremonies and rituals in a church.

In the 1881 census there were 3,919 people recorded with the Priest surname, ranking it #1,160 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,930, ranked #1,371, down from #1,160 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Dudley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North and East Isles, Sandwell and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Priest is 5,333 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.8%.

1881 census count

3,919

Ranked #1,160

Modern count

4,930

2016, ranked #1,371

Peak year

1998

5,333 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Priest had 3,919 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,160 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,930 in 2016, ranked #1,371.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,085 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Priest surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Priest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Priest 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 2,471 #1,203
1861 historical 2,323 #1,272
1881 historical 3,919 #1,160
1891 historical 4,093 #1,175
1901 historical 4,844 #1,164
1911 historical 5,085 #1,035
1997 modern 5,181 #1,259
1998 modern 5,333 #1,277
1999 modern 5,319 #1,291
2000 modern 5,269 #1,289
2001 modern 5,136 #1,291
2002 modern 5,165 #1,310
2003 modern 5,027 #1,312
2004 modern 5,028 #1,315
2005 modern 4,885 #1,327
2006 modern 4,879 #1,338
2007 modern 4,935 #1,336
2008 modern 4,984 #1,335
2009 modern 5,093 #1,339
2010 modern 5,111 #1,360
2011 modern 5,081 #1,349
2012 modern 5,018 #1,335
2013 modern 5,065 #1,345
2014 modern 5,086 #1,348
2015 modern 4,998 #1,357
2016 modern 4,930 #1,371

Geography

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Where Priests are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Dudley, London parishes and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North and East Isles, Sandwell and Dudley. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North and East Isles Shetland Islands
2 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
3 Dudley 018 Dudley
4 Dudley 020 Dudley
5 Sandwell 029 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Priest

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Priest

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Priest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Priest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Priest 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

Priest 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

Priest falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Priest is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Priest

The surname Priest is an English occupational surname that originated in the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English word "preost", meaning a member of the clergy or a priest. The name was initially used to refer to individuals who served in a religious capacity, particularly in the Christian church.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Priest can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. The name was often spelled differently in historical records, such as "Prest" or "Preste", reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable historical reference to the name Priest can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The Hundred Rolls mention individuals with the surname Priest, indicating their presence and significance in medieval English society.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Priest became more widespread across England, appearing in various legal documents, tax records, and parish registers. Some notable bearers of the name during this period include John Prest (c. 1370-1437), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, and William Preste (c. 1440-1504), a prominent clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Carlisle.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Priest continued to be associated with members of the clergy, as well as those who held positions of authority within the Church of England. However, it also began to be adopted by individuals with no direct connection to the clergy, reflecting the increasing secularization of surnames during this period.

Notable individuals with the surname Priest throughout history include Sir Vincent Priest (1629-1681), an English politician and member of Parliament; Josiah Priest (1778-1853), an American writer and historian known for his works on Native American history; and Henry Priest (1792-1858), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

While the surname Priest has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and colonial expansion. Today, the name can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Priest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Priest 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. Staffordshire leads with 636 Priests recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.93x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 636 4.93x
Middlesex 426 1.11x
Yorkshire 400 1.06x
Worcestershire 278 5.57x
Warwickshire 271 2.81x
Lancashire 236 0.52x
Surrey 203 1.09x
Buckinghamshire 111 4.80x
Gloucestershire 107 1.43x
Devon 99 1.24x
Essex 89 1.18x
Kent 88 0.67x
Cheshire 80 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 73 1.42x
Berkshire 72 2.51x
Somerset 65 1.06x
Glamorgan 59 0.89x
Norfolk 52 0.88x
Derbyshire 50 0.84x
Shetland 45 11.52x
Durham 39 0.34x
Sussex 39 0.60x
Oxfordshire 31 1.31x
Hertfordshire 29 1.10x
Banffshire 27 3.40x
Cambridgeshire 27 1.11x
Hampshire 27 0.34x
Monmouthshire 27 0.98x
Morayshire 25 4.21x
Shropshire 25 0.76x
Lincolnshire 23 0.38x
Leicestershire 18 0.42x
Dorset 17 0.68x
Lanarkshire 14 0.11x
Midlothian 14 0.27x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.31x
Wiltshire 11 0.33x
Bedfordshire 10 0.50x
Cornwall 10 0.23x
Northumberland 9 0.16x
Channel Islands 8 0.71x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.66x
Flintshire 6 0.58x
Northamptonshire 5 0.14x
Suffolk 5 0.11x
Ayrshire 4 0.14x
Stirlingshire 4 0.28x
Royal Navy 2 0.44x
Anglesey 1 0.15x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.06x
Sutherland 1 0.34x
Westmorland 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 316 Priests recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.83x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 316 87.83x
Birmingham 86 2.68x
Aston 79 2.97x
Dudley 79 13.01x
Kingswinford 54 11.52x
Sheffield 48 3.98x
Lambeth 47 1.41x
Gradley 46 190.63x
Unst 45 157.51x
Harborne 43 10.39x
Islington London 37 1.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 36 4.67x
Hammersmith London 36 3.82x
Newington 35 2.48x
Hurst 34 90.47x
Tipton 34 8.60x
Bedworth 33 46.88x
Camberwell 33 1.35x
Brighton 29 2.23x
Kensington London 29 1.36x
Wycombe 29 16.82x
Deptford St Paul 28 2.78x
St George Hanover 28 5.61x
Barrow In Furness 27 4.37x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 25 3.54x
Edgbaston 25 8.36x
Manchester 25 1.22x
West Ham 24 1.44x
West Bromwich 23 3.11x
Liverpool 22 0.80x
Thornbury 22 539.22x
Walsall Foreign 22 3.30x
Claylane 21 25.23x
St Pancras London 21 0.68x
Cradley 20 44.28x
Roath 20 6.61x
Ormesby 19 18.65x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.08x
Hillingdon 18 14.76x
Hyde 18 7.22x
Littlebury 18 172.74x
Spittlegate 18 21.28x
Bilston 17 6.79x
Misterton 17 106.52x
West Dean 17 13.95x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 1.61x
Sedgley 16 3.34x
Stourbridge 16 12.45x
Battersea 15 1.07x
Wolverhampton 15 1.51x
Barton Upon Irwell 14 4.10x
Bedminster 14 2.42x
Fordyce 14 24.53x
Leyton Low 14 9.12x
Manea 14 91.62x
Nether Hallam 14 2.73x
Paddington London 14 1.00x
Saddleworth 14 4.79x
Shoreditch London 14 0.84x
Wellington 14 7.54x
Brightside Bierlow 13 1.75x
Halesowen 13 29.65x
St Martin In Fields 13 5.68x
West Derby 13 0.98x
Wigan 13 2.05x
Bulwell 12 10.71x
Doncaster 12 4.33x
Govan 12 0.39x
Iver 12 40.27x
Lewisham 12 1.72x
North Curry 12 57.28x
St George In East 12 4.61x
St Giles In Fields 12 9.10x
St Marylebone London 12 0.59x
Wanstead 12 9.08x
Cromer 11 52.61x
Croydon 11 1.06x
Nottingham St Mary 11 0.82x
Reading St Mary 11 4.78x
Westminster St 11 7.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 242
Sarah 151
Elizabeth 136
Eliza 81
Ann 71
Ellen 63
Emma 63
Hannah 58
Annie 56
Alice 54
Emily 54
Jane 51
Harriet 31
Martha 31
Charlotte 27
Louisa 27
Ada 26
Edith 25
Clara 20
Fanny 20
Florence 19
Maria 19
Caroline 16
Kate 16
Margaret 16
Sophia 16
Catherine 15
Lucy 15
Amy 14
Anne 14
Agnes 13
Harriett 13
Matilda 13
Amelia 12
Susan 12
Esther 11
Susannah 11
Eleanor 10
Frances 10
Lydia 10
Rebecca 9
Selina 9
Elizth. 8
Henrietta 8
Minnie 8
Gertrude 7
Eva 6
Isabella 6
Maud 5
May 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 218
John 184
Thomas 133
James 123
George 108
Joseph 85
Henry 81
Charles 75
Samuel 53
Alfred 51
Richard 50
Edward 43
Arthur 36
Albert 32
Frederick 28
Walter 28
Robert 22
David 20
Edwin 19
Harry 18
Frank 15
Benjamin 14
Herbert 13
Isaac 12
Daniel 11
Ernest 10
Geo. 10
Wm. 10
Francis 8
Fred 8
Edgar 7
Mark 6
Thos. 6
Eli 5
Philip 5
Aaron 4
Alexander 4
Chas. 4
Horace 4
Jabez 4
Noah 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Roland 4
Timothy 4
Abraham 3
Amos 3
Earnest 3
Moses 3
Saml. 3

FAQ

Priest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Priest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,919 people were recorded with the Priest surname. That placed it at #1,160 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Priest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,930 in 2016. That gives Priest a modern rank of #1,371.

What does the Priest surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a clergyman or someone who performed religious ceremonies and rituals in a church.

What does the Priest map show?

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