Show ContentsPress History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Press comes from one of the family having worked as a priest having derived from the Old English word preost, which means priest. It was also a nickname given to a person with a priestly character, and probably also given to a person with the exact opposite character. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Press family

The surname Press was first found in Hertfordshire, where they held a family seat before the Middle Ages.

Early History of the Press family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Press research. Another 391 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1557, 1558, 1579, 1615, 1621, 1645 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Press History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Press Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Press have been found, including: Preost, Priest, Prest, Preist, Prestt, Press and many more.

Early Notables of the Press family

Notables of the family at this time include Agnes Prest (died 1557), an English Protestant martyr burned at the stake at Southernhay in Exeter; Degory Priest (ca. 1579-1621), A London...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Press Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Press Ranking

In the United States, the name Press is the 11,800th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Press family to Ireland

Some of the Press family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Press migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Press, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Press Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Hugh Press, who landed in Virginia in 1637 2
  • Nich Press, who landed in Virginia in 1655 2
  • Sibill Press, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 2
Press Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Englehard Press, who arrived in America in 1807 2
  • Charlotte Press, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1854 2
  • Michael Press, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1854 2
  • Jacob Press, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1860 2
Press Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ignatz Press, who arrived in Alabama in 1921 2

Press migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Press Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Press, who landed in Canada in 1832

Press migration to Australia +

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

Press Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Edmund Press, English convict from Cambridge, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3
  • Mr. Thomas Press, English convict who was convicted in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • William Press, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 5
  • Amelia Press, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 5
  • Frederick Press, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Somersetshire" in 1839 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Press (post 1700) +

  • Ben Press (1924-2016), American tennis player, coach, and writer
  • Robert Press, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 21st District, 1920 6
  • Dolores M. Press, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1988 6
  • Anne Elizabeth Press (1903-1992), Australian politician
  • Tamara Natanovna Press (1937-2021), Soviet eight-time gold medalist shot put and discus throw in the early 1960s
  • Press Atwood, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1916 7

RMS Lusitania
  • Miss Mary Jane Press, American 2nd Class passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 8


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
  4. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SOMERSETSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Somersetshire.htm
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  8. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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