The ancestry of the name Prestwude dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes 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."
Loading...
Early Origins of the Prestwude family
The surname Prestwude 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.
Loading...
Early History of the Prestwude family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prestwude 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 Prestwude History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Loading...
Prestwude 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 Prestwude have been found, including Prestwood, Presswood, Prestwold, Presswold, Prestwald and many more.
Loading...
Early Notables of the Prestwude family
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Prestwude Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Loading...
Migration of the Prestwude family
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. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Prestwude, 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
