History of your Surname
Get access to Prime family records.Start a free trial

Prime Family History

Prime Name Meaning

English: from a Middle English personal name or nickname. The personal name existed in Old English and is probably derived from Old English prim ‘early morning’ (from Latin primus ‘first’ used as the name of one of the canonical hours). The surname may be derived from this word as a Middle English nickname in the sense ‘fine excellent’. Dutch (Primé): of French origin (see 3 below). French: from the feminine form of Prim Americanized form of German Preime a variant of Primus or Preim a topographic name perhaps from a river near Hanover.

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


Similar surnames: Prim, Price, Grime, Primo, Pipe, Prior, Trim, Cripe, Pile, Prem

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Prime family from?

You can see how Prime families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Prime family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Prime families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 142 Prime families living in London. This was about 13% of all the recorded Prime's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Prime families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prime surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Prime 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 Prime. 8% of Prime men worked as a General Labourer and 74% of Prime women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Prime were Dairy Farmer and Domestic Duties. .

View Census Data for Prime | 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
    8%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Carpenter joiner
    7%
  • Dairy Farmer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Prime family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Prime. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Prime census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Prime

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Prime. 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 Prime immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18,000 military records available for the last name Prime. For the veterans among your Prime ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Prime military records

You've only scratched the surface of Prime family history

Discover More

What is the average Prime lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Prime life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Prime in 1959 was 49, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Prime

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Prime family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Prime last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial