NameCensus.

UK surname

Prill

A surname deriving from the Germanic word meaning "brave" or "bold."

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Prill surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Spondon, Kingston-on-Thames and Northiam. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, North Lincolnshire and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prill is 122 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 556.3%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

1891

122 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prill had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 122 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Prill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prill surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prill 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 74 #30,218
1998 modern 86 #29,343
1999 modern 89 #29,168
2000 modern 84 #29,706
2001 modern 87 #29,161
2002 modern 90 #29,314
2003 modern 94 #28,686
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Prills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Spondon, Kingston-on-Thames, Northiam, Leeds and Burton-in-Kendal. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, North Lincolnshire, South Kesteven, East Devon and North Dorset. 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 Spondon Derbyshire
2 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 Northiam Sussex
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Burton-in-Kendal Westmorland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 014 Salford
2 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
3 South Kesteven 012 South Kesteven
4 East Devon 005 East Devon
5 North Dorset 004 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prill

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Prill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Prill is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Prill falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Prill

The surname Prill is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "prill," which means a small glass bead or a spherical object. This name was likely initially used as an occupational surname for someone who worked in the glass-making industry, particularly in the production of glass beads or other decorative glass objects.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various German regions, including Bavaria and Saxony. One of the earliest known references to the name Prill can be found in the records of the town of Nuremberg from the late 16th century, where it was spelled "Pril" or "Prill."

The name Prill gained prominence in the 17th century, with several notable individuals bearing this surname. One such person was Johannes Prill (1605-1678), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg, known for his religious and allegorical works. Another notable figure was Christian Prill (1658-1726), a German composer and organist from Saxony.

During the 18th century, the Prill surname continued to appear in various German records and documents. In 1748, a man named Johann Michael Prill (1718-1782) was born in the town of Bamberg, Bavaria. He later became a renowned philosopher and theologian, authoring several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.

As the 19th century dawned, the Prill name spread beyond Germany's borders. In 1812, a man named Friedrich Prill (1787-1859) was born in Saxony. He later emigrated to the United States, settling in Pennsylvania, and became one of the earliest recorded Prills in America.

Another notable figure from this time period was the German composer and pianist Carl Ferdinand Prill (1849-1923). Born in Berlin, he was widely acclaimed for his piano compositions and served as a professor at the Leipzig Conservatory for many years.

While the Prill surname remains relatively uncommon, it has left a lasting mark throughout history, particularly in Germany and the United States, where it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, scholars, and entrepreneurs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prill 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. Kent leads with 7 Prills recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.15x.

County Total Index
Kent 7 13.15x
Yorkshire 7 4.53x
Middlesex 1 0.64x
Surrey 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley in Kent leads with 7 Prills recorded in 1881 and an index of 864.20x.

Place Total Index
Bromley 7 864.20x
Heckmondwike 7 1400.00x
Hampstead London 1 41.15x
Stoke 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Esther 2
Ada 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Kate 1
Mary 1
Minnie 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Everard 1
James 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Prill households.

FAQ

Prill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Prill surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Prill a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Prill surname mean?

A surname deriving from the Germanic word meaning "brave" or "bold."

What does the Prill map show?

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