Prestwich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Prestwich comes from when the family resided in Prestwick, Northumberland, or in Prestwich, in Cheshire. Prestwich is now part of Greater Manchester. The place names Prestwick and Prestwich have an identical etymology; they are derived from the Old English words preost, which meant priest, and wic, which meant farm. The place names taken as a whole mean "priest's farm."

Early Origins of the Prestwich family

The surname Prestwich was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Prestwich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prestwich research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1250 is included under the topic Early Prestwich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prestwich Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Prestwich family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Sir Thomas Prestwich

Migration of the Prestwich family to Ireland

Some of the Prestwich family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prestwich migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Prestwich Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samuel Prestwich, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 1

Prestwich Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Prestwich who settled in Philadelphia in 1868

Contemporary Notables of the name Prestwich (post 1700) +

Dawn Prestwich, American television writer and producer
Sir John Prestwich (d. 1795), English antiquary, son of Sir Elias Prestwich of Holme and Prestwich, Lancashire, a lineal descendant of Thomas Prestwich, who was created a Baronet in 1644
Michael Charles Prestwich (b. 1943), English historian
Steven Prestwich (1954-2011), English born Australian drummer, guitarist, singer and songwriter
John Alfred Prestwich (1874-1952), English engineer, known for his cinematography projectors, and his internal combustion engines
Sir Joseph Prestwich (1812-1896), British geologist and businessman

The Prestwich Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: In te domine speravi
Motto Translation: In thee, O Lord, I have placed my hope.

Citations +

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)