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Prideaux History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Prideaux History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Prideaux is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Prideaux family lived in Cornwall, at Prideaux, from whence they derived their name.

Early Origins of the Prideaux family

The surname Prideaux was first found in Cornwall, home to Prideaux Castle, an Iron Age hillfort near St Blazey and Prideaux Place, a country house near Padstow that has been in the Prideaux-Brune family for over 400 years. They family trace their descent from Paganus, lord of Prideaux Castle, in Luxulion in the time of William I. 1

"The manor of Treslothan, [Camborne] upon which estate there are some remains of an ancient chapel, was in moieties between the families of Prideaux and Arundell, in the early part of the seventeenth century." 2

"The ancient family of Prideaux can trace their pedigree up to the period of the Norman Conquest, at which time Paganus was lord of Prideaux. Of the elder branch of this family, the last male heir died about the year 1490. When this event took place, the heiress carried Prideaux Castle in Luxulian, to the Herles of West Herle in Northumberland. At this time a younger branch of the Prideaux family settled at Orchardon in Devonshire; and of this branch a younger son settled at Thuborough, from whom sprang a still younger branch that took up their abode at Padstow, so early as the days of Henry VIII. From this ancestor has descended the Rev. Charles Prideaux, who has taken the additional name of Brune, pursuant to the will of his great uncle Charles Brune, Esq. the last male heir of an ancient baronial family of Plumber in Dorsetshire." 2

Continuing our quest in nearby Devon: "In the reign of Elizabeth the manor [of Sidmouth] was leased to Sir William Perryan, and in that of James I. to Sir Christopher Mainwaring; it was subsequently sold to Sir Edmond Prideaux, with the exception of the great tithes, which were given to Wadham College, and now belong to the Rev. William Jenkins, the incumbent. The manor was purchased from Sir Wilmot Prideaux by Thomas Jenkins, Esq." 3

Early History of the Prideaux family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prideaux research. Another 197 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1578, 1590, 1596, 1602, 1606, 1622, 1626, 1629, 1640, 1641, 1647, 1648, 1650, 1659, 1667, 1675, 1682, 1695, 1705, 1720, 1724, 1729 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Prideaux History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prideaux Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Prideaux include Prideaux, Prideux and others.

Early Notables of the Prideaux family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

John Prideaux D.D. (1578-1650), an English academic and Bishop of Worcester
Sir Peter Prideaux, 2nd Baronet (1596-1682)
Sir Peter Prideaux, 3rd Baronet (1626-1705)
Sir Edmund Prideaux, 4th Baronet (1647-1720)
Sir Edmund Prideaux, 5th Baronet (1675-1729)
Sir John Prideaux, 6th Baronet (1695-1766)
Richard Prideaux (1606-1667), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640
Sir Edmund Prideaux (died 1659), an English lawyer, Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis (1640-1659), also supported the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War

Prideaux migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Prideauxs to arrive on North American shores:

Prideaux Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Stephen Prideaux, (b. 1782), aged 54, Cornish miner departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11th May 1836 4
Mrs. Mary Prideaux, (b. 1786), aged 50, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11-May 1836 4
Mr. Edward Prideaux, (b. 1820), aged 16, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11-May 1836 4
Mr. Joseph Prideaux, (b. 1825), aged 11, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11th May 1836 4
Mr. Henry Prideaux, (b. 1827), aged 9, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth aboard the ship "Royal Adelaide" arriving in the United States on 11th May 1836 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Prideaux Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mrs. Eliza Prideaux, (b. 1865), aged 35, American returning from Launceston, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 26th September 1900 en route to Pennsylvania, USA 5
Mr. Lewis Prideaux, (b. 1864), aged 36, American inventor returning from Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1900 en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 5

Prideaux migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Prideaux Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Prideaux, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 6
Ann Prideaux, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 6
Philippa Prideaux, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 6
Mary Prideaux, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1847 6
Jane Prideaux, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Santipore" in 1848 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Prideaux migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Prideaux Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mary Ann Prideaux, aged 23, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 8
Miss Mary Ann Prideaux, (b. 1840), aged 23, Cornish domestic servant departing on 18th June 1863 aboard the ship "Accrington" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 5th September 1863 9
Mr. William Prideaux, (b. 1830), aged 35, British baker travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 1st January 1866 8
Kate Prideaux, aged 30, a cook, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Chile" in 1874
Emily Prideaux, aged 20, a dressmaker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Chile" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Prideaux migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 10

Prideaux Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Nicholas Prideaux who settled in Barbados in 1678 with his servants, wife and child

Contemporary Notables of the name Prideaux (post 1700) +

James Prideaux (1927-2015), American Drama Desk Award winning playwright, best known for The Last of Mrs. Lincoln
Brandon Prideaux (b. 1976), American soccer defender
Richard Prideaux, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1966
Joshua Prideaux, American politician, Presidential Elector for Maryland, 1820
Frederick Prideaux (1817-1891), English conveyancer, fifth son of Walter Prideaux of Plymouth
Samuel Prideaux (1813-1875), English biblical scholar, textual critic, and theologian
Walter Arbuthnot Prideaux (1910-1995), English rower
John Prideaux (1718-1759), English brigadier-general in the British Army
Roger Malcolm Prideaux (b. 1939), English cricketer
Walter Prideaux (1806-1889), British poet and lawyer

Historic Events for the Prideaux family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. John Arthur "Jack" Prideaux (d. 1912), aged 23, English Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHOEBE 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Phoebe.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SANTIPORE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Santipore.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html