NameCensus.

UK surname

Pryor

An occupational surname for a prior, the monastic officer in charge of a priory in a medieval monastery.

In the 1881 census there were 1,994 people recorded with the Pryor surname, ranking it #2,208 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,512, ranked #2,633, down from #2,208 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Illogan and Wendron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Central Bedfordshire and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pryor is 2,641 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.0%.

1881 census count

1,994

Ranked #2,208

Modern count

2,512

2016, ranked #2,633

Peak year

1999

2,641 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pryor had 1,994 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,208 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,512 in 2016, ranked #2,633.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,433 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pryor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pryor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pryor 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 1,411 #2,042
1861 historical 1,075 #2,619
1881 historical 1,994 #2,208
1891 historical 1,894 #2,429
1901 historical 2,346 #2,312
1911 historical 2,433 #2,109
1997 modern 2,529 #2,499
1998 modern 2,620 #2,501
1999 modern 2,641 #2,501
2000 modern 2,607 #2,515
2001 modern 2,551 #2,514
2002 modern 2,631 #2,504
2003 modern 2,555 #2,513
2004 modern 2,540 #2,529
2005 modern 2,489 #2,547
2006 modern 2,496 #2,549
2007 modern 2,492 #2,575
2008 modern 2,477 #2,608
2009 modern 2,577 #2,578
2010 modern 2,606 #2,601
2011 modern 2,572 #2,602
2012 modern 2,510 #2,613
2013 modern 2,563 #2,610
2014 modern 2,558 #2,627
2015 modern 2,506 #2,648
2016 modern 2,512 #2,633

Geography

Back to top

Where Pryors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Illogan, Wendron and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Central Bedfordshire, Sheffield, Amber Valley and Leicester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Illogan Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wendron Cornwall
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
2 Central Bedfordshire 005 Central Bedfordshire
3 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
4 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley
5 Leicester 035 Leicester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pryor

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pryor

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

Pryor 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

Pryor falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pryor

The surname PRYOR originated from Normandy, France in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "priur" meaning prior, a monastic official who ranked second in command after an abbot or abbess. The name likely referred to someone who held this position or had some association with a priory.

In England, the surname PRYOR is found in records dating back to the 12th century, soon after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest known bearers was William Pryor, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1194. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John le Priour in Oxfordshire.

The PRYOR surname has roots in various English counties, including Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Norfolk. It is also found in early records from Scotland and Ireland, likely due to migration from England. Variations in spelling include Pryour, Pryor, Pryer, and Prior.

In the 13th century, the PRYOR surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire, referring to a Robert le Priour. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 record a John Priour in Norfolk. The name is also mentioned in the Testamenta Eboracensia, a collection of wills from the Diocese of York, dating back to the 14th century.

Notable historical figures with the PRYOR surname include Sir Robert Pryor (c.1512-1548), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1537. Arthur Pryor (1870-1942) was an American trombone soloist, bandleader, and composer known as the "Sousa of the Trombone."

Other prominent individuals with this surname were Richard Pryor (1940-2005), an influential American stand-up comedian and actor; Roger Pryor (1899-1962), an American actor and singer; and Joseph Everett Pryor (1853-1920), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pryor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pryor 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. Cornwall leads with 380 Pryors recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.21x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 380 17.21x
Middlesex 301 1.54x
Essex 194 5.04x
Yorkshire 165 0.85x
Cambridgeshire 132 10.69x
Surrey 111 1.17x
Hertfordshire 86 6.40x
Kent 71 1.07x
Lancashire 55 0.24x
Somerset 53 1.69x
Sussex 51 1.55x
Leicestershire 50 2.31x
Devon 44 1.08x
Bedfordshire 41 4.06x
Durham 24 0.41x
Glamorgan 22 0.65x
Berkshire 19 1.30x
Wiltshire 18 1.04x
Carmarthenshire 16 1.95x
Gloucestershire 16 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.61x
Oxfordshire 14 1.16x
Northumberland 13 0.45x
Norfolk 12 0.40x
Cumberland 10 0.60x
Huntingdonshire 9 2.32x
Pembrokeshire 9 1.45x
Derbyshire 7 0.23x
Hampshire 7 0.18x
Warwickshire 7 0.14x
Lanarkshire 6 0.10x
Staffordshire 6 0.09x
Denbighshire 5 0.68x
Shropshire 5 0.30x
Isle of Man 4 1.10x
Midlothian 4 0.15x
Suffolk 3 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.17x
Herefordshire 2 0.25x
Rutland 2 1.40x
West Lothian 2 0.68x
Caithness 1 0.37x
Channel Islands 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.08x
East Lothian 1 0.39x
Northamptonshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wendron in Cornwall leads with 93 Pryors recorded in 1881 and an index of 303.43x.

Place Total Index
Wendron 93 303.43x
Sheffield 53 8.62x
Illogan 49 83.83x
Waltham Holy Cross 36 100.06x
Nether Hallam 34 13.01x
Islington London 30 1.59x
Bethnal Green London 29 3.42x
Hackney London 29 2.65x
Redruth 29 46.44x
Sithney 29 129.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 25 6.36x
Camborne 23 25.28x
Gwennap 23 55.24x
Lambeth 23 1.35x
Langford 22 265.06x
Melbourn 22 182.88x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 20 37.13x
St Andrewthe Less 20 14.17x
Dalby Great 19 625.00x
Deptford St Paul 19 3.70x
Helston 19 82.79x
Finchley 18 24.08x
St Pancras London 18 1.15x
Camberwell 17 1.36x
Liverpool 16 1.14x
Llanelly 16 8.64x
Barking 14 12.43x
Liskeard 14 37.90x
Welwyn 14 120.27x
Enfield 13 10.16x
Fulham London 13 4.60x
Kingston On Thames 13 5.70x
Tottenham 13 4.19x
Battersea 12 1.67x
Brightside Bierlow 12 3.17x
Haswell 12 28.86x
Leyton Low 12 15.34x
Luton 12 6.87x
Walthamstow 12 8.66x
Wingate 12 30.17x
Great Stambridge 11 550.00x
Hampstead London 11 3.62x
Histon 11 170.02x
Tamerton Foliott 11 140.85x
Walcot 11 6.58x
Barnsley 10 5.02x
Breage 10 49.63x
Constantine 10 77.82x
Devizes St John 10 77.22x
Lewes All Sts 10 76.34x
Millom 10 19.44x
St Agnes 10 32.34x
Tollesbury 10 103.73x
Acton 9 7.87x
Asfordby 9 250.00x
Bermondsey 9 1.55x
Bow London 9 3.63x
Lewes St Ann 9 80.43x
Lewes St Michael 9 137.83x
Pembroke St Mary 9 11.28x
Royston 9 78.60x
Shoreditch London 9 1.06x
St Edward Cambridge 9 229.59x
Stoke Damerel 9 3.17x
Yeovil 9 14.11x
Cheltenham 8 2.71x
Madron Penzance 8 9.97x
St George Hanover 8 3.14x
Willesden 8 4.35x
Dover St Mary Virgin 7 10.87x
Ecclesfield 7 4.94x
Falmouth 7 8.96x
Hertford St John 7 34.95x
Little Shelford 7 203.49x
Margaretting 7 199.43x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 2.24x
St Andrewthe Great 7 43.83x
St George In East 7 5.28x
St Luke London 7 2.24x
Towednack 7 161.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Elizabeth 88
Sarah 57
Ann 44
Eliza 40
Annie 34
Jane 33
Emily 30
Ellen 25
Louisa 22
Alice 21
Caroline 18
Emma 18
Susan 18
Margaret 16
Florence 15
Hannah 15
Harriet 15
Maria 14
Martha 14
Catherine 13
Edith 13
Charlotte 11
Grace 11
Fanny 10
Elizth. 8
Amelia 7
Amy 7
Harriett 7
Kate 7
Lydia 7
Selina 7
Ada 6
Agnes 6
Anne 6
Clara 6
Lilly 6
Lucy 6
Minnie 6
Isabella 5
Matilda 5
Ruth 5
Frances 4
Gertrude 4
Jessie 4
Julia 4
Lizzie 4
Maud 4
May 4
Rose 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 121
John 111
Thomas 60
George 58
James 47
Henry 43
Joseph 40
Charles 38
Richard 24
Walter 20
Alfred 18
Robert 18
Arthur 17
Edward 17
Albert 16
Frederick 16
Samuel 16
Ernest 13
Benjamin 12
Harry 12
Edwin 10
Wm. 8
Francis 6
Frank 6
Anthony 5
David 5
Fredk. 5
Sydney 5
Arundel 4
Horace 4
Isaac 4
Martin 4
Sidney 4
Thos. 4
Ambrose 3
Arundell 3
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Herbert 3
Jno. 3
Mark 3
Nathaniel 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Reuben 3
Athanesus 2
Chas. 2
Michael 2
Peter 2

FAQ

Pryor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pryor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,994 people were recorded with the Pryor surname. That placed it at #2,208 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pryor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,512 in 2016. That gives Pryor a modern rank of #2,633.

What does the Pryor surname mean?

An occupational surname for a prior, the monastic officer in charge of a priory in a medieval monastery.

What does the Pryor map show?

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