NameCensus.

UK surname

Prigg

A surname derived from an archaic term for a prudish, self-righteous person.

In the 1881 census there were 264 people recorded with the Prigg surname, ranking it #10,655 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, down from #10,655 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Cullompton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, East Cambridgeshire and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prigg is 304 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.5%.

1881 census count

264

Ranked #10,655

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

1891

304 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prigg had 264 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,655 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Prigg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prigg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prigg 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 247 #8,868
1861 historical 281 #8,921
1881 historical 264 #10,655
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 297 #13,967
1999 modern 299 #14,000
2000 modern 300 #13,904
2001 modern 294 #13,896
2002 modern 286 #14,442
2003 modern 269 #14,855
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 254 #15,560
2007 modern 249 #15,943
2008 modern 245 #16,295
2009 modern 259 #16,013
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 262 #16,001
2013 modern 271 #15,875
2014 modern 267 #16,161
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Priggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Cullompton, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Great and Little Cornard, Chilton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, East Cambridgeshire, St Edmundsbury, Forest Heath and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Cullompton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Great and Little Cornard, Chilton Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
2 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
3 St Edmundsbury 010 St Edmundsbury
4 Forest Heath 006 Forest Heath
5 Stoke-on-Trent 029 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prigg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prigg

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Prigg is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Prigg 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

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

Meaning and origin of Prigg

The surname Prigg is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "priga," which means a small or insignificant person. This term was often used as a nickname or descriptive name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prigg can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire, dated 1195, where a person named Robert Prigg is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of 1220, which lists a Henry Prigg from Lincolnshire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a William Prigg from Oxfordshire.

The Prigg surname is believed to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire, where it was closely associated with several villages and settlements. For instance, the village of Prigg's Green in Northamptonshire is thought to have derived its name from the presence of families bearing the Prigg surname in the area.

Notable individuals with the surname Prigg throughout history include:

1. Thomas Prigg (c. 1535-1600), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Devizes, Wiltshire.

2. Richard Prigg (c. 1560-1628), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bridport in the early 17th century.

3. Elizabeth Prigg (c. 1590-1670), a prominent landowner and philanthropist in Northamptonshire, known for her contributions to the construction of local churches and schools.

4. John Prigg (1650-1725), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Prigg Manor House in Oxfordshire.

5. William Prigg (1725-1795), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was commended for his bravery at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Over time, the surname Prigg has also evolved into various spelling variations, such as Prig, Prigge, and Priggs, further demonstrating its longstanding presence in the English language and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prigg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prigg 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. Suffolk leads with 76 Priggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.35x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 76 23.35x
Gloucestershire 44 8.39x
Devon 34 6.11x
Middlesex 19 0.71x
Somerset 13 3.02x
Cambridgeshire 12 7.09x
Warwickshire 12 1.78x
Channel Islands 9 11.36x
Kent 9 0.99x
Wiltshire 7 2.96x
Staffordshire 6 0.67x
Surrey 6 0.46x
Derbyshire 5 1.19x
Lancashire 5 0.16x
Essex 3 0.57x
Worcestershire 3 0.86x
Yorkshire 3 0.11x
Glamorgan 2 0.43x
Sussex 2 0.44x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Norfolk 1 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.18x
Royal Navy 1 3.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 27 Priggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.71x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 27 54.71x
Long Melford 22 726.07x
Ottery St Mary 14 383.56x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 149.43x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 12 196.40x
Cullompton 10 411.52x
Soham 9 247.25x
St Helier 9 34.91x
Cowlinge 8 1290.32x
Wateringbury 8 672.27x
Bristol St George 7 28.88x
Grittleton 7 2500.00x
Aston 6 3.23x
Birmingham 6 2.67x
Castle Church 6 110.70x
Great Cornard 6 810.81x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 5 485.44x
Islington London 5 1.93x
Plymouth Charles The 5 20.40x
Portishead 5 156.25x
Ripley 5 96.71x
Bristol St Paul In 4 28.63x
Hadleigh 4 126.58x
Openshaw 4 26.94x
Shoreditch London 4 3.45x
Stoke Under Hambdon 4 283.69x
Streatham 4 20.17x
Ashley Cum Silverley 3 681.82x
Chagford 3 225.56x
Dodderhill 3 201.34x
Hackney London 3 2.00x
Martock 3 107.14x
Mile End Old Town 3 7.11x
Belchamp Walter 2 357.14x
Bowling 2 7.62x
Bristol St Augustine 2 23.64x
Cardiff St Mary 2 7.80x
Horsham 2 22.86x
Lambeth 2 0.86x
Sudbury St Gregory 2 76.63x
Accrington 1 3.47x
Aldershot 1 5.45x
Bedminster 1 2.47x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.86x
Bristol St Michael 1 22.27x
Brixham 1 15.50x
Buckfastleigh 1 38.91x
Carew 1 117.65x
Charfield 1 196.08x
Chelsea London 1 1.24x
Clifton 1 3.77x
Fulham London 1 2.58x
Gazeley 1 131.58x
Glemsford 1 43.67x
Greenwich 1 2.35x
Hammersmith London 1 1.52x
Henbury 1 39.06x
Horbury 1 21.60x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 9.05x
Loddon 1 94.34x
Newmarket St Mary 1 40.00x
Royal Navy 1 3.67x
West Ham 1 0.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 9
Ann 7
Emma 6
Harriet 6
Caroline 5
Eliza 5
Florence 5
Martha 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Augusta 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Myra 2
Rebecca 2
Rosannah 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatric 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizath. 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Phoebe 1
Zipporah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
Thomas 12
Henry 10
John 10
George 9
James 6
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Harry 4
Richard 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Nathan 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Granville 1
Harold 1
Jabez 1
Joseph 1
Martha 1
Nathanael 1
Oliver 1
Robt.Harry 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Teraia 1
Thos. 1
Tobias 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Prigg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prigg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 264 people were recorded with the Prigg surname. That placed it at #10,655 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prigg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Prigg a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Prigg surname mean?

A surname derived from an archaic term for a prudish, self-righteous person.

What does the Prigg map show?

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