Prince Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Prince last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Prince last name
Meaning of the Prince last name: lordly, or a pageant prince. Prince is an English surname, a nickname for someone who behaved in a lordly way or who played a prince in a pageant or play; it may also have marked a servant in a princely household. The last name is widespread in England, especially the south. A curious detail: the word comes from Latin princeps, "first one", a title once used by the Roman emperors.
Arms associated with the Prince name
In England younger sons added small heraldic marks to their father's coat of arms, so relatives named Prince could each carry a slightly different shield.
Get your full Prince family history
This is only a glimpse of the Prince story. The full Prince history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Prince coat of arms. Get the full Prince report.
Prince name FAQ
What does the Prince name mean?
Lordly, or a pageant prince. Common variants include Prinz, Prynce, Princes.
Where does the Prince surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Prince coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Prince coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).