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Show ContentsPritchard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The name Pritchard was a Welsh patronymic surname created from the personal name Richard. 1 2 The name was originally ap-Richard, the Welsh patronymic prefix "ap-," meaning "son of." The use of the prefix has disappeared over the course of time.

Early Origins of the Pritchard family

The surname Pritchard was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Spelling variations for this name are numerous through the ages. So as to underline this, a look at the Register of the University of Oxford reveals: David Aprycharde, 1521; William Prichard, or Ap-Richard, 1545; 3 and Thomas Prichett, London, 1616. 4

Early History of the Pritchard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pritchard research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1632, 1669, 1672, 1681, 1682, 1683, 1704, 1705, 1718, 1750 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pritchard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pritchard Spelling Variations

The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Pritchard have included Pritchard, Prichard, Prickard and others.

Early Notables of the Pritchard family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

  • Matthew Pritchard, O.F.M. (1669-1750) a Roman Catholic bishop; John Pritchett (died 1681), an English clergyman, Bishop of Gloucester (1672-1681)
  • Sir William Pritchard or Prichard (1632?-1705), was an English merchant and politician, Sheriff of London in 1672, Lord Mayor of London in 1682. He was second son of Francis Pritchard of Southwark, an...
  • He died at his city residence in Heydon Yard, Minories, on 20 Feb. 1704–5. His body was conveyed 'in great state' from his house at Highgate to Great Lynford in Buckinghamshire, where it was buried...

Pritchard World Ranking

In the United States, the name Pritchard is the 1,296th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 5 However, in Australia, the name Pritchard is ranked the 485th most popular surname with an estimated 7,842 people with that name. 6 And in New Zealand, the name Pritchard is the 462nd popular surname with an estimated 1,491 people with that name. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Pritchard as 233rd with 25,019 people. 8

Ireland Migration of the Pritchard family to Ireland

Some of the Pritchard family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Pritchard migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Pritchard were found:

Pritchard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Pritchard, (b. 1592), aged 28 who arrived in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Abigaile" 9
  • Mr. Thomas Pritchard, aged  32, from England who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "America" arriving in June 1635 10
  • Pallardary Pritchard, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 9
  • Richard Pritchard, who landed in Virginia in 1653 9
  • Abraham Pritchard, who arrived in Maryland in 1662 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pritchard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Pritchard, who settled in Maryland in 1734
  • Nicklas Pritchard, who landed in New York in 1795 9
Pritchard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Pritchard, aged 49, who arrived in New York in 1812 9
  • Mariena Pritchard, who arrived in New York in 1815 9
  • John Pritchard, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1827 9
  • James Pritchard, who settled in Open Hole (now Open Hall) in 1830
  • James Pritchard, who landed in America in 1831 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pritchard Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Charles Pritchard, who landed in Colorado in 1901 9

Canada Pritchard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pritchard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Paul Pritchard, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
  • Josiah Pritchard, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mr. Azariah Pritchard U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 11
Pritchard Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Charles Pritchard was a shoe-maker in Trinity, Newfoundland in 1827 12
  • William Pritchard was a fisherman in Brigus, Newfoundland in 1839 12
  • John Pritchard was a fisherman in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland in 1843 12
  • Mr. William Pritchard, aged 27 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 13

Australia Pritchard migration to Australia +

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

Pritchard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Pritchard, British convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Mr. William Pritchard, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. James Pritchard, British Convict who was convicted in Worcestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. John Pritchard, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Mr. John Pritchard, British convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Pritchard 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:

Pritchard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Pritchard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 19
  • Mrs. Mary Pritchard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 19
  • Edward Pritchard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Aloe" in 1863
  • William Pritchard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Annie Wilson" in 1863
  • Halbert Pritchard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ernestina" in 1865
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Pritchard 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. 20
Pritchard Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Evan Pritchard, who settled in Barbados in 1654

Contemporary Notables of the name Pritchard (post 1700) +

  • James Pritchard (b. 1961), American heavyweight professional boxer
  • James Bennett Pritchard (1909-1997), American archeologist
  • Ronald David "Ron" Pritchard (b. 1947), former American football linebacker and professional wrestler
  • David Pritchard, American physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Lauren Pritchard (b. 1987), American soul singer, songwriter and actress
  • Michael Robert Pritchard (b. 1969), former professional American NFL football player
  • Christine Pritchard (1943-2023), Welsh actress, best known for her role as the witch in Rala Rwdins, a children's show on S4C in the 1990s
  • Mark Owen Pritchard (b. 1985), Welsh footballer
  • Mathew Pryderi Pritchard (b. 1973), Welsh professional skateboarder
  • Captain Charlie Pritchard (1882-1916), Welsh international rugby union player
  • ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. Ernest Pritchard (d. 1914), British Assistant Cook from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 21
  • Mr. John Pritchard, British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Oliver Pritchard, British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 21
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. John  Pritchard (1855-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
  • Mr. Arthur  Pritchard (1894-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 22
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Herbert Lloyd Pritchard (1917-1941), Australian Ordnance Artificer 4th Class from West Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 23
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. E Pritchard, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
HMS Royal Oak
  • Brinley A. Pritchard, British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 25
North Sea Flood
  • Edward Pritchard, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
Senghenydd colliery
  • Mr. Albert Edward Pritchard (b. 1875), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
  • Mr. Frank Pritchard (b. 1895), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died
  • Mr. Henry Pritchard (b. 1884), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died

Suggested Readings for the name Pritchard +

  • My Folks: Pritchard, Vaught, Beasley, Sargent by Thelma Sargent.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  8. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  9. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  10. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  11. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  12. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  13. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 51)
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  21. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  22. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  23. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  24. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  25. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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