PRICE

Origin and linguistic background – The surname Price is principally of Welsh provenance. It derives from the Welsh patronymic expression ap Rhys, literally “son of Rhys”. The element ap functions as the genealogical marker “son of”, while Rhys is a personal name that was widely used in medieval Wales. The name Rhys itself is understood to mean “fiery warrior”. Over the centuries the spoken form ap Rhys contracted and orthographically stabilised as Price.

Alternative etymology – A second, less common source for the surname is occupational. In the aftermath of the Norman French invasion of 1066, the Old French word pris denoted a “price” and was applied to officials who fixed market prices, that is, early Trading Standards Officers. This derivation accounts for a minority of bearers of the name who are recorded in English documents of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Early documentary evidence – The earliest surviving spellings of the name appear in medieval records. Robert Price is documented in the Minister’s Accounts of the Earldom of Cornwall in 1297, during the reign of King Edward I. Other examples include Richard Prys in the Feet of Fines of Essex (1320) and Jorwerth ap Reys in the London Pleas Records (1393), the latter being a Welsh claimant before a land tribunal.

Geographical distribution and migration – While the surname remains most common in Wales, it spread to other parts of the British Isles and to the English‑speaking world through emigration. Among the early colonial settlers was Mathew Price, who sailed from England to Virginia on the vessel George of London in August 1635. Subsequent migration patterns have established the name in North America, Australasia and other regions.

Heraldic emblem – The coat of arms most frequently associated with the Price family displays a red field charged with a silver lion rampant. This blazon reflects the martial connotations of the original personal name Rhys and the historic prominence of Price bearers in Welsh society.

Typical given names associated with the Price surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen
• William

Female

• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Julie
• Karen
• Margaret
• Mary
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Price in...

Braille

⠏⠗⠊⠉⠑

Morse

.--..-...-.-..

Semaphore

Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Price are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Digestive.

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Wales

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Welsh

Famous people named Price

• Katie Price - Television personality, businesswoman, model, author, singer, and designer
• Dolours Price - PIRA volunteer; Irish republican activist (1951 to 2013)
• Alan Price - Musician, keyboardist, arranger
• David Price - Professional boxer
• Clifford Joseph Price - Musician, DJ, visual artist and actor
• Tonya Maxene Price - American figure skater
• Alex Price - Actor
• Derek J. de Solla Price - Historian and physicist (1922 to 1983)
• Dennis Price - Actor (1915 to 1973)
• Vincent Price - American actor (1911 to 1993)
• Claire Price - Actress
• Stuart Price - Electronic musician
• Adam Price - Welsh politician and Plaid Cymru leader
• Steven Price - UK film music composer
• Pete Price - Broadcaster and media personality
• Jack Price - Football player
• Rod Price - Guitarist (1947 to 2005)
• Rick Price - Musician, bassist
• Richard Price - Welsh nonconformist preacher and radical (1723 to 1791)
• Cedric Price - Architect (1934 to 2003)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

Your comments on the Price surname