Priestley Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Priestley Name Meaning: Derives from the Anglo Saxon words 'preost' meaning priest and 'leah' meaning meadow or similar

This name was probably given to someone who lived near a plot of land owned by a priest or was named after a place named priestley or similar.

Discover how your Priestley ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Priestley Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Priestley family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 933
Worsted Weaver 92
Coal Miner 78
Worsted Spinner 61
Dress Maker 46
Agricultural Labourer 35
Woollen Weaver 32
House Keeper 23
Domestic Servant 22
General Labourer 22
Cotton Weaver 22
Farm Labourer 22
Cotton Piecer 21
Joiner 20
Stone Mason 18
Laundress 14
General Servant 14
Woollen Cloth Weaver 14
Carter 13
Cotton Operative 13
House Keeper Domestic 13
Dyer 13
Annuitant 12
Labourer 12
General Servant Domestic 11

Priestley Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Priestley 100% 33,563
2 Priestly 89% 3,413
3 Prestley 89% 1,263
4 Pristley 89% 724
5 Preistley 78% 288
6 Prustley 78% 129
7 Prestly 78% 110

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The surname Priestley is the most popular version of all its varients

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