What does my Surname mean ? is a question asked as frequently as ………. Where does my Surname come from ?

 

To some extent the answer can be based on ‘Custom and Practice’ for in Western Culture a Surname can be the descent name of the Male Ancestor Line, known as; ‘Patronymic’ (male personal name), far less common is ‘Matronymic’ (personal name of the female). A mixed use of both Patronymic and Matronymic Surnames has been emerging as a hyphenated Surname (usually referred to as double-barrelled)

Such a Surname have been based on an ‘Occupational or Trade’ eg.. ‘Butcher’, ‘Forester’ or ‘Carpenter’.   Then we may find ‘Topographical’ Surnames; such as; ‘Hill’,  ‘Wood’ or ‘Ridge’, others maybe based on places, locations or derived from nicknames, origins can be exhaustive.

 

In the United Kingdom it is generally accepted that Surnames became used in considerable numbers from the Norman Conquest in 1066. Those that were introduced from France into Britain, were Hereditary Surnames of the Norman Nobility that overtime time became modified and into more common use across the population. There were further influxes of names from the Low Countries and a smaller number from Germany, Italy and Spain forming part of the overall mix.

 

PRING is patronymic in origin, being a Surname derived from the first name of the Father. This is believed to be;  ‘the son of PRING’ or ‘PRINGE or PRYNG’. The Surname origins in England is through the Norman Conquest of 1066. PRIN can be found from the Latin ‘PRIMUS’ meaning ‘first’ and therefore baptismal for the first child. Another possibility of source is from the Old French ‘PRINS or ‘PRIMS’ which leads back to ‘PRIMUS’. PRYNE if from;  ‘Chief’ or ‘First’

 

PRING Name Variations.

The PRING name variations take the forms of; PRINGE, PRYNG, and PRYN, PRYNNE, PRIN, PRINNE the latter of theses are generally seen as less closely associated. The ‘G’ of PRING has been added since the 13th /14th Century and is regarded as modern. The Devonshire Lay Subsidy Rolls (1332) contain no PRING (with a ‘G’) which supports the ‘G’ being added later. Early Variations found;  William PRIN, 1273, County of Berkshire – John PRYNNE/PRYN, 1506, Oxford University –  Will of Thomas PRYN, 1st Feb1618, Swanswicke, Somerset. The son of Thomas PRYN, William PRYNNE (1600 Swainswick -1699)  was a Lawyer and Militant Reformer, who spent time in the Tower of London. Sir Gilbert PRYNNE  d.1627 Chippenham, Wiltshire, is evidence  of another possible name variation

PRIN is found in the Exchequer Lay Subsidies, County of Somerset, at the time of Edward III (1327-1377), and is still there in various forms.

Close spellings such as ‘PRINCE’ or ‘PRINGLE’ are not seen as Variations.

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So how did the PRING Surname Variations Evolve ? 

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They evolved through both the spoken and written word. The West Country of England (Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall) the spoken word is often drawn out, there is no phonic sound for the 'e' of PRINGE and the; 'i'  and the 'y' are indistinguishable. In the written, Scribes, unfamiliar with the original spelling, would place a ‘i’ for an ’y’.

As few in those early times could read or write a heavy reliance was made upon ‘Scribes’, be they from the Law or Churches, to write the Wills & Court documents of the time.

 

PRYNG, PRYNGE & PREYNG

A written variant that predominated in Devon during the 1500,1600 and 1700’s. It can be found to be interchangeable even within the same generation of a family. This explains why the demography of the two names is almost identical.

 

PRINGE.

Another early archaic spelling that was more widespread predominantly in the West Country but extended as far as Norfolk and Suffolk and as far North as Yorkshire. Also found in, London, Middlesex , Sussex and Kent.  PRINGE has now largely gone out of use. The PRINGE variant probably started in early Somerset, But as families moved into Devon, Scribes who wrote documents such as Wills in Devon started to drop the silent 'E' as the had no prior practice of how the name was spelt. In early Devon, PRINGE is evident but by the end of the 1600's its use had ceased in Devon. There is evidence of this change in PRINGE families originating in Somerset, moving into Devon and within a generation or two their name was PRING.

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