Prows History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Prows

What does the name Prows mean?

The name Prows comes from the ancient Norman culture that was established in Britain after the Conquest of 1066. It was a name for a proud, haughty, or brave being derived from the Old French word prous.

Early Origins of the Prows family

The surname Prows 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 Prows family

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

Prows Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Prouse, Prouze, Prowse, Prowze, Prouz, Prowes and others.

Early Notables of the Prows family

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

Migration of the Prows family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Prows or a variant listed above were: George Prouse who settled in Virginia in 1624; Emblence Prouse settled in Virginia in 1639; Germaine Prouse settled in New York in 1775; John Prowse settled in Virginia in 1639..

Contemporary Notables of the name Prows (post 1700) +

William Cook Prows (1827-1894), early Mormon leader and American settler, may have been the first man to discover gold on the Comstock Lode

Sources +

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)