The name Priestward is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in or near the priest's wood, or in Prestwood, a place-name found in Buckinghamshire and in Sussex. The place-name and the surname are derived from the Old English words preost, which meant priest, and wudu, which meant wood or forest. The surname means "dweller by the priest's wood."
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Early Origins of the Priestward family
The surname Priestward was first found in Worcestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Prestwood. Little is recorded of their early history before the 13th century but the senior representative of the family was Reginald Prestwood who lived about 1400. The family moved at this point south to Devon where the main stem resided. The family also gave their name to Prestwood in Shropshire and Buckinghamshire. They also branched to Staffordshire.
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Early History of the Priestward family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Priestward research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1608, 1628, 1629, 1655, 1692 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Priestward History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Priestward Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Priestward are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Priestward include: Prestwood, Presswood, Prestwold, Presswold, Prestwald and many more.
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Early Notables of the Priestward family
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Priestward Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Priestward family
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Priestward or a variant listed above: Roger Presswood who landed in North America in 1700; Joan Prestwood, who settled in Virginia in 1666; and Richard Prestwood, who was on record in Baltimore in 1749..
England
