Surname Presson - Meaning and Origin
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Presson: What does the surname Presson mean?
The surname Presson is of English origin and is believed to be geographical, deriving from a location such as Preston in Lancashire, England. The name Preston itself comes from the Old English 'preost', meaning 'priest', and 'tun', meaning 'enclosure' or 'settlement'. Over time, it evolved into Presson, likely due to regional dialects and variations in spelling. Therefore, the Presson name would have originally signified a settlement or area associated with a priest. It's worth noting that surnames were often used as a way of identifying individuals with the same common name in the Middle Ages, linking them to a particular location, occupation, or even a personal characteristic.
Order DNA origin analysisPresson: Where does the name Presson come from?
The Presson surname has a presence in many parts of the world today. In the United States, for example, the Presson surname is particularly common in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. In this region, the Presson name dates back to the early 1700s, when several families with the surname settled in South Carolina and North Carolina. In both these states, the Presson name remains relatively common today.
In Northern Ireland, the Presson surname is clustered mainly around Belfast, Londonderry, and Antrim. Although the name is not particularly common in the rest of the United Kingdom, there is a small number of people who bear the name in and around London.
In many other parts of the world, people bearing the Presson surname are descended from individuals who emigrated to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. Records indicate that the surname was found in the early 19th century in Australia but is not especially widespread today.
Overall, individuals with the Presson surname are not impossible to find around the world. The United States, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa all have a presence of the name, providing the modern Presson descendant plenty of options to explore his or her distant roots.
Variations of the surname Presson
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Presson primarily include Preasson, Pressen, Presson, Preson, Preeson and Priesen. All of these surnames are derived from the Old Scandinavian name Pries, meaning ‘priest’ and the Old English word ‘son’.
Presson is a surname that absorbed numerous European surname variants over the centuries. In England, it was first recorded in Essex around 1272 and thought to be of Norman French origin. In Scotland, it may be a variant that had become prominent in the Fife area. It is also found in Germany and the Netherlands.
In the United States, the surname Presson is mainly of British Isles origins. It most likely first appeared in Pennsylvania and Virginia in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first appearance of the name Presson in Kentucky was in 1805, when James Preson is listed in the tax records.
The spelling variations of the surname have included Presson, Preasson, Pressen, Preeson, Priesen and Preson. For example, the spelling Preson is thought to have been used in some of the southern states, such as Mississippi and Louisiana during the 19th century.
The name Preasson is recorded from the 12th century in Scotland, in the form Prevsoen de Halden. Variants of the surname Pressen, in the form of Presen, also appear in Scotland in the 13th century. The spelling Presson occurs in Scotland from the 17th century.
While the different spelling variants of the surname have become interchangeable over the centuries, the traditional form Presson remains the most common form of the name used in the English language today.
Famous people with the name Presson
- Robert Preston (1918–1987): American film and stage actor best known for his role as Harold Hill in the film and stage versions of The Music Man.
- Steve Preston (1959– ): American journalist, editor, and publisher, best known as the publisher of Arts Press in Santa Barbara, California.
- Dixie Lee Presson (1959– ): American actress and singer.
- Bob Presson (1919–1994): American jazz double-bassist and guitarist.
- Tom Presson (1973– ): American painter and sculptor.
- Jonathan Presson (1971– ): American actor, best known for his roles in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse.
- William Presson (1962– ): American business executive, best known as the founder and CEO of B.I.G. Enterprises, a media logistics business.
- David Presson (1929–1992): American psychology professor and researcher, best known for his work on psychoanalysis and conversations he conducted with Albert Ellis.
- Candice Presson (1982– ): American painter and graphic novelist.
- Don Presson (1901–1996): American accountant, best known for his work on revising and expanding the accounting department of the University of California, Berkeley.