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Prouse History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Prouse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the name Prouse begins with the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This Norman name was soon thereafter given to a proud, haughty, or brave being derived from the Old French word prous.

Early Origins of the Prouse family

The surname Prouse was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. However, some remained in Normandy as Drogon Prose was listed there in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae (1180-1195.) 1

Early History of the Prouse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prouse research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the year 1608 is included under the topic Early Prouse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prouse Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Prouse family name include Prouse, Prouze, Prowse, Prowze, Prouz, Prowes and others.

Early Notables of the Prouse family

More information is included under the topic Early Prouse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prouse migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Prouse family to immigrate North America:

Prouse Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Prouse who settled in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Diana"
Emblence Prouse, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 2
Emblence Prouse, who settled in Virginia in 1639
George Prouse, who landed in Maryland in 1664 2

Prouse Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Germaine Prouse, who settled in New York in 1775
Germaine Prouse, who arrived in New York in 1798 2

Prouse Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Prouse, who landed in Mississippi in 1871 2

Prouse Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. James Prouse, (b. 1867), aged 35, Cornish farmer travelling aboard the ship "Cymric"arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th September 1902 en route to Ishpeming, Michigan, USA 3
Mr. John S. Prouse, (b. 1873), aged 30, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York"arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 3rd May 1903 en route to Granite Mountain, Montana, USA 3
Mr. Thomas Prouse, (b. 1883), aged 20, English farm labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Paul"arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th April 1903 en route to Hamilton, Ontario, USA 3
Mr. Edwin Prouse, (b. 1870), aged 33, English farm labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Paul"arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th April 1903 en route to Hamilton, Ontario, USA 3
Miss Emily Arabella Prouse, (b. 1889), aged 15, American returning from Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia"arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 1st October 1904 en route to Central City, Colorado, USA 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Prouse migration to Australia +

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

Prouse Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Prouse, British Convict who was convicted in Devon, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 4
William Prouse, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Santipore" in 1848 5
Edward Prouse, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1849 6

Prouse 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:

Prouse Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard Prouse, aged 42, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 7
Mary Prouse, aged 44, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 7
Sarah Prouse, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 7
William Prouse, aged 15, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 7
Richard Prouse, aged 10, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duke of Roxburgh" in 1840 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Prouse (post 1700) +

Peter Prouse (1919-1986), American actor, known for The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Nightwing (1979) and Count Five and Die (1957)
Wesley Prouse, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Montana State Senate 23rd District, 2010 8
Graham Prouse, Canadian President of Curling Canada (2009-2010)
Justin Oliver Prouse (b. 1961), birth name of Justin Oliver Webb, a British journalist who has worked for the BBC since 1984
Derek Prouse (d. 1996), American mystery writer
M. Prouse Neal, American Republican politician, Mayor of Oswego, New York, 1925 9

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SANTIPORE 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Santipore.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The BOLTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Bolton.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html