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Prevost Family History

Prevost Name Meaning

French (Prévost): from Old French prevost ‘provost’ (from Latin praepositus past participle of praeponere ‘to place in charge’) a status name for any of various public officials in a position of responsibility probably also used as a nickname for a self-important person. Compare Provost . English: occupational name from Middle English prevost prefest variants of Provost 2 a cognate of 1 above. In most cases however the surname in Britain is of French (Huguenot) origin (see 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Provost, Prevot, Privett, Prost, Prevo, Prescott, Probst, Priest

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Where is the Prevost family from?

You can see how Prevost families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Prevost family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Prevost families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 123 Prevost families living in Ontario. This was about 87% of all the recorded Prevost's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Prevost families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Prevost surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Prevost ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Servante were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Prevost. 16% of Prevost men worked as a Cultivateur and 11% of Prevost women worked as a Servante. Some less common occupations for Americans named Prevost were Farmer and Revenue. .

View Census Data for Prevost | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Cultivateur
    16%
  • Journalier
    12%
  • Cultivateur
    9%
  • Farmer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servante
    11%
  • Institutrice
    9%
  • Servant
    9%
  • Revenue
    9%
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What Prevost family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Prevost. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Prevost census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Prevost

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Prevost. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Prevost immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Prevost. For the veterans among your Prevost ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Prevost lifespan?

Between 1952 and 2004, in the United States, Prevost life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Prevost in 1952 was 56, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Prevost

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