Pruse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Ancestry of the Pruse name lies with the Norman Conquest of England. This Norman name was used for a proud, haughty, or brave being derived from the Old French word prous.

Early Origins of the Pruse family

The surname Pruse 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 Pruse family

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

Pruse Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Prouse, Prouze, Prowse, Prowze, Prouz, Prowes and others.

Early Notables of the Pruse family

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

Migration of the Pruse family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Pruse or a variant listed above: 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..

Citations +

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)