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Prescott Family History

Prescott Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from any of the places so called in southwestern Lancashire (now Merseyside), Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, and Devon, all of which are named from Old English prēost ‘priest’ + cot ‘cottage’ ‘dwelling’.

The surname is most common in Lancashire and so it seems likely that the first of these places is the most frequent source.

It is also present in Ireland, being recorded there first in the 15th century.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Prescott family from?

You can see how Prescott families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Prescott family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Prescott families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 2,983 Prescott families living in Lancashire. This was about 60% of all the recorded Prescott's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Prescott families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prescott surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Prescott ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Prescott. 12% of Prescott men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Prescott women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Prescott were Farm Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Prescott | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farmer
    4%
  • Farm Labourer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Prescott family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 138,000 census records available for the last name Prescott. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Prescott census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Prescott

Passenger Lists

There are 17,000 immigration records available for the last name Prescott. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Prescott immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 24,000 military records available for the last name Prescott. For the veterans among your Prescott ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Prescott military records

You've only scratched the surface of Prescott family history

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What is the average Prescott lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Prescott life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Prescott in 1942 was 35, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Prescott

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Prescott ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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