Surname Prescott - Meaning and Origin

Prescott: What does the surname Prescott mean?

The surname Prescott is of English origin and is derived from the Old English elements "preost," meaning "priest," and "cot," meaning "cottage" or "dwelling." Thus, the literal interpretation of Prescott is "priest's cottage" or "priest's dwelling." This could indicate that the original bearers of this name either lived near a priest's dwelling or perhaps were associated with or worked for a priest. It is also possible that the name was given to a clergyman or a devout religious scholar. Like many surnames, Prescott could also be a locational name referring to several places in England of the same name, suggesting that individuals with this surname could be originally from such areas. Prescott is a relatively common surname in English-speaking countries, but particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Prescott: Where does the name Prescott come from?

The last name Prescott is most common in the United States today, particularly in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. Some of the earliest occurrences of the surname were in colonial America, likely brought to the country by settlers from England. Prescott families were well-known and respected in colonial Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

In modern times, Prescott is typically most prevalent in the northeastern states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. It is also found in other parts of the country such as Florida, California, and the Midwest states of Ohio and Michigan.

According to genealogical records, the Prescott surname began to spread westward in the mid-nineteenth century as pioneers moved to the Midwest and even as far west as Texas. The reason for this was mainly due to the booming job opportunities in agriculture and the developing industries in these new territories.

Prescott is also an uncommon first name, however it is increasing in popularity as a modern first name choice. This is because of a successful marketing campaign of a rugged outdoor clothing company by the same name.

Overall, the last name Prescott is still mostly limited to the eastern United States, but the number of families with this last name is slowly growing across the country.

Variations of the surname Prescott

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Prescott are Prescot, Prescotts, Preskett, Presscott, Prestcot, Prestcott, Pretcott, Presscote, Pescott, Prescote, Prescatt, Prescut, Preskitt, Preskot, Preskite, Pressed, Pressette, Preslet, Presseau and Pristcott.

The surname Prescott is derived from the Old French prefix ‘pres’ or ‘prés’ (meaning "near" or "at"). Hence, their variants generally appear as a form of ‘at the cottage/dwelling’.

Prescott derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century word ‘cott’, which means ‘cottage’ or ‘dwelling’ and is believed to refer to a person who lived near a cottage. It is likely that the original bearers of the surname were smallholders or tenant farmers at an early time, who would later become known as ‘Prescott’.

Prescot is the most common and oldest variant of the surname, although other spellings, such as Preskett, Presscott, Prestcot and Prestcott, have also been used.

Prescatt, Prescut, Preskitt, Preskot, Preskite, Pressed, Pressette, Preslet, Presseau and Pristcott are later spellings that have developed from the earlier variants.

Other surnames that have the same origin include Prescote and Pescott.

Famous people with the name Prescott

• Edward Prescott: He is a Nobel Prize-winning economist from Arizona State University.
• Sam Prescott: He is a musician and songwriter from Florida.
• John Prescott: A British Politician and Deputy Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007.
• Jamie Prescott: An actress, best known for her role in the popular television series Dawson's Creek.
• Tom Prescott: A television writer and producer best known for his work on the Nora Ephron drama series, This Is Us.
• Henry Prescott: An American sculptor from the early 19th century.
• Mary Prescott: An American author best known for her childhood classic, Little House on the Prairie.
• Thomas Prescott: A 19th century Protestant Christian missionary to China.
• Joanna Prescott: An author from Minnesota, best known for her novels about women's relationships.
• Anna Prescott: The first woman to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Japan.

Other surnames

Prescoat