NameCensus.

UK surname

Prosser

An English occupational surname referring to a brass or bronze worker.

In the 1881 census there were 4,706 people recorded with the Prosser surname, ranking it #944 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,447, ranked #1,047, down from #944 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prosser is 6,801 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

4,706

Ranked #944

Modern count

6,447

2016, ranked #1,047

Peak year

1999

6,801 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prosser had 4,706 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #944 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,447 in 2016, ranked #1,047.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,065 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Prosser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prosser surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prosser 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 3,497 #811
1861 historical 2,303 #1,278
1881 historical 4,706 #944
1891 historical 4,644 #1,006
1901 historical 5,861 #949
1911 historical 6,065 #851
1997 modern 6,431 #1,012
1998 modern 6,740 #1,004
1999 modern 6,801 #1,002
2000 modern 6,706 #1,008
2001 modern 6,542 #1,011
2002 modern 6,647 #1,022
2003 modern 6,482 #1,025
2004 modern 6,554 #1,015
2005 modern 6,424 #1,018
2006 modern 6,372 #1,025
2007 modern 6,384 #1,032
2008 modern 6,420 #1,029
2009 modern 6,574 #1,030
2010 modern 6,707 #1,033
2011 modern 6,660 #1,022
2012 modern 6,463 #1,036
2013 modern 6,567 #1,035
2014 modern 6,600 #1,038
2015 modern 6,499 #1,042
2016 modern 6,447 #1,047

Geography

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Where Prossers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 020 Powys
2 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
3 Caerphilly 015 Caerphilly
4 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 006 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prosser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prosser

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Prosser surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Prosser household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Prosser 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

Prosser 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

Prosser falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Prosser is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Prosser

The surname Prosser has its origins in the Welsh language and can be traced back to the region of Pembrokeshire in South West Wales. It is believed to have derived from the Old Welsh word 'proser', which means a maker or trader of brooches or ornamental clasps. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been skilled craftsmen or merchants dealing in such wares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prosser can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Proser' in the county of Gloucestershire, England. This entry likely refers to a person of Welsh descent who had settled in the area after the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name Prosser appeared in various records and manuscripts, often in its anglicized form of 'Proser' or 'Prosour'. In the 14th century, a certain William Proser was listed as a landowner in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its current form of 'Prosser'. One notable bearer of this surname was Richard Prosser, a Welsh politician and member of Parliament who lived from 1592 to 1670.

Over the centuries, the Prosser family spread throughout Britain and beyond. In the 18th century, Thomas Prosser (1732-1817) was a notable Welsh ironmaster and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the iron industry in South Wales.

Another individual of note was Ralph Barnes Prosser (1829-1899), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Coventry Cathedral. He was well-known for his writings on theology and church history.

In the literary world, the name Prosser is associated with the English novelist and playwright William Wymark Jacobs (1863-1943), whose full name was William Wymark Prosser Jacobs. He is best remembered for his humorous short stories, including the famous tale "The Monkey's Paw".

Lastly, a more recent figure with the surname Prosser is the American actress and model Amanda Prosser (born 1979), who has appeared in various television shows and films.

While the name Prosser may have evolved over time and spread across different regions, its roots can be traced back to the Welsh heritage and the skilled craftsmen who made ornamental clasps and brooches in ancient times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prosser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prosser 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. Herefordshire leads with 693 Prossers recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.93x.

County Total Index
Herefordshire 693 36.93x
Monmouthshire 672 20.31x
Glamorgan 590 7.40x
Brecknockshire 496 54.20x
Middlesex 393 0.86x
Gloucestershire 337 3.75x
Worcestershire 167 2.79x
Warwickshire 153 1.33x
Surrey 131 0.59x
Staffordshire 123 0.80x
Lancashire 105 0.19x
Kent 69 0.44x
Yorkshire 64 0.14x
Carmarthenshire 59 3.06x
Radnorshire 57 15.44x
Durham 54 0.40x
Aberdeenshire 51 1.20x
Somerset 46 0.62x
Shropshire 44 1.11x
Pembrokeshire 37 2.54x
Cardiganshire 31 2.78x
Hampshire 31 0.33x
Cheshire 29 0.29x
Lanarkshire 28 0.19x
Wiltshire 23 0.57x
Oxfordshire 22 0.78x
Midlothian 19 0.31x
Essex 16 0.18x
Devon 15 0.16x
Northumberland 14 0.21x
Sussex 13 0.17x
Derbyshire 11 0.15x
Flintshire 10 0.81x
Renfrewshire 9 0.25x
Dunbartonshire 8 0.65x
Bedfordshire 7 0.30x
Morayshire 7 0.98x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.10x
Hertfordshire 5 0.16x
Peeblesshire 5 2.32x
Berkshire 4 0.12x
Leicestershire 4 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.38x
Northamptonshire 4 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.11x
Cornwall 3 0.06x
Lincolnshire 3 0.04x
Angus 2 0.05x
East Lothian 2 0.33x
Royal Navy 2 0.37x
Channel Islands 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Kincardineshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberystruth in Monmouthshire leads with 84 Prossers recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.81x.

Place Total Index
Aberystruth 84 28.81x
Merthyr Tydfil 82 10.71x
Llanwonno 74 25.85x
Trevethin 69 22.09x
Aberdare 64 11.70x
Hackney London 64 2.49x
Birmingham 59 1.53x
Abergavenny 58 46.82x
Gelligaer 48 26.38x
Aston 46 1.45x
Bedwellty 45 7.70x
Crickhowell 45 212.67x
Llanelly 45 41.10x
Ystradyfodwg 44 6.30x
Hereford All Sts 43 50.02x
St Woollos 43 11.65x
Ewyas Harold 42 491.23x
Llanover 41 36.29x
Talgarth 41 181.02x
Llangunider 37 64.91x
Leominster 36 46.36x
Camberwell 35 1.20x
Monmouth 34 38.76x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 31 18.88x
St Pancras London 31 0.84x
Wolverhampton 28 2.36x
Hay 27 79.44x
Lambeth 27 0.68x
Bethnal Green London 26 1.31x
Breinton 26 356.16x
Glasbury 26 210.36x
Swansea Town 26 3.98x
Briton Ferry 25 26.30x
Longtown 25 215.33x
Mynyddyslwyn 25 19.16x
Pentyrch 25 75.96x
St Margarets 25 558.04x
Llanbedr 23 537.38x
Llanwenarth Ultra 23 95.28x
Merthyr Cynog 23 199.83x
Newport 23 14.57x
Shoreditch London 23 1.16x
Islington London 22 0.50x
Llangattock 22 29.52x
Brecknock St John 21 27.22x
Cheltenham 21 3.03x
Llantillio Pertholey 21 108.64x
Mordiford 21 235.16x
St Marylebone London 21 0.86x
Bodenham 20 144.93x
Bromley London 20 1.99x
Llandilo Graban 20 508.91x
Lydney 20 43.17x
Worcester St Peter 19 16.80x
Kingswinford 18 3.21x
Llanelly 18 4.14x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 1.10x
Vaynor 18 40.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 2.01x
Clase 17 5.74x
Clifton 17 3.75x
Cradley 17 61.95x
Crasswall 17 354.91x
Crickadarn 17 328.82x
Hardwicke 17 167.16x
Llantwit Vairdre 17 18.98x
Stockton On Tees 17 2.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 0.65x
Hereford St Martin 16 70.39x
Kings Norton 16 2.99x
Lanark 16 13.44x
Westbury On Severn East 16 7.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 15 1.70x
Garway 15 179.43x
Grosmont 15 136.86x
Holdfast Queenshill 15 520.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 1.63x
Cardiff St John 14 5.38x
Penalt 14 187.42x
Risca 14 22.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 350
Elizabeth 261
Sarah 149
Ann 121
Margaret 89
Annie 76
Jane 73
Eliza 69
Ellen 64
Emily 57
Emma 57
Alice 44
Catherine 36
Hannah 36
Anne 31
Louisa 31
Martha 31
Harriet 29
Caroline 26
Charlotte 26
Maria 26
Ada 25
Fanny 18
Florence 18
Clara 16
Edith 16
Harriett 16
Elizth. 14
Julia 14
Susan 14
Kate 13
Agnes 12
Lucy 12
Amelia 11
Rosa 11
Amy 10
Rachel 10
Rose 9
Ruth 9
Sophia 9
Esther 8
Frances 8
Gwen 7
Laura 7
Selina 7
Eleanor 6
Mabel 6
Margret 6
Susannah 6
Jessie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 327
John 300
Thomas 258
James 136
George 116
David 97
Henry 92
Charles 78
Joseph 40
Edward 38
Samuel 32
Frederick 28
Walter 28
Alfred 26
Edwin 26
Albert 23
Arthur 23
Daniel 23
Benjamin 22
Robert 21
Wm. 20
Rees 18
Richard 18
Ernest 16
Evan 15
Francis 15
Thos. 15
Harry 12
Isaac 10
Roger 10
Morgan 9
Herbert 8
Lewis 8
Ebenezer 7
Frank 7
Tom 7
Philip 6
Edgar 5
Edmund 5
Fred 5
Mark 5
Phillip 5
Stephen 5
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Leonard 4
Reuben 4
Sidney 4
Sydney 4
Willm. 4

FAQ

Prosser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prosser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,706 people were recorded with the Prosser surname. That placed it at #944 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prosser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,447 in 2016. That gives Prosser a modern rank of #1,047.

What does the Prosser surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a brass or bronze worker.

What does the Prosser map show?

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