Price History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Wales

Etymology of Price

What does the name Price mean?

The Welsh name Price is a patronymic surname created from the Welsh personal name Rhys, which also took the forms Rice and Rees. The surname Price was originally ap-Rhys, ap-Rice, or ap-Rees: the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix "ap," means "son of," but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time.

Early Origins of the Price family

The surname Price was first found in Merionethshire (Welsh: Sir Feirionnydd), made a county in Northwest Wales in 1284, and anciently part of the kingdom of Gwynedd, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Price family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Price research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1573, 1596, 1599, 1605, 1619, 1628, 1630, 1640, 1646, 1648, 1651, 1657, 1660, 1661, 1666, 1671, 1675, 1678, 1691, 1744, 1752 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Price History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Price Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Price have included Price, Pryce and others.

Early Notables of the Price family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Marchwithian, Chieftain of the Prices in North Wales; Sir John Price, Ap Price, Ap Rhys (died 1573), Welsh visitor of the monasteries, was son of Rhys ab Gwilym; Sir John Pryce (Price), 1st Baronet (c...
Ellis Price (1505-1599), was a Welsh administrator, second son of Robert ap Rhys ap Maredudd of Foelas and Plas Iolyn, Denbighshire. 1

Price World Ranking

In the United States, the name Price is the 76^th most popular surname with an estimated 246,213 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Price is ranked the 254^th most popular surname with an estimated 16,188 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Price is the 96^th popular surname with an estimated 26,319 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Price as 105^th with 3,945 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Price as 57^th with 74,870 people. 6

Migration of the Price family to Ireland

Some of the Price family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Price migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Price were found:

Price Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. John Price, aged 40, who arrived in Virginia in 1611 aboard the ship "Starr" 7
Mr. William Price, who arrived in Virginia in 1611 aboard the ship "Starr" 7
Hugh Price,aged 35, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship "William and John"
Miss Judith Price, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Mary Gold" 7
Ann Price, aged 21, who arrived in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Francis Bonaventure" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Price Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Price, who landed in Virginia in 1703 8
Frances Price, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 8
Conrad Price, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 8
John Jacob Price, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 8
George Price, who arrived in Frederick County, Maryland in 1796 8

Price Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ellis Price, who landed in America in 1801 8
David Price, aged 23, who landed in New York in 1812 8
Mr. Charles Price, aged 38, British farmer who arrived in New York aboard the ship "North America" on 12th October 1840
Miss Emma Price, British settler who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Tyrian" on 9th November 1841
Mrs. Mary Ann Price, British settler who arrived in New Orleans aboard the ship "Tyrian" on 9th November 1841
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Price migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Price Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John Price U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 217 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 9
Mr. John Price U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as a child more than 10 years of age 9
Miss. Mary Price U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as a child less than 10 years of age 9
Mr. Peter Price U.E. born in Pennsylvania, USA who settled in Pennfield, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as signing the Quaker Loyalist Agreement 9
Miss. Ruth Price U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 listed as a child less than 10 years of age 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Price Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Price who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle in 1847 10
Mr. James Price, aged 27 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Wellington" departing from the port of Wellington, Liverpool but died on Grosse Isle in October 1847 10
Mr. Thomas Price, aged 36 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 10

Price migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Price Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Elizabeth Price, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Miss Nancy Price, (Ann, Taylor), (b. 1775), aged 25, English servant who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1826 11
Mr. James Price, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. Thomas Price, (b. 1755), aged 48, British convict who was convicted in Abingdon, Berkshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1803 12
Mr. Thomas Price, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Price migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Price Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Price, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Dublin Packet" arriving in Cloudy Bay, South Island, New Zealand in 1838 14
Mary Price, aged 18, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Ann Price, aged 17, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Thomas Price, aged 35, a gardener, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
Dinah Price, aged 33, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Price migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15

Price Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Thomas Price, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 16
Mr. William Price, (b. 1613), aged 22, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 17
Gregory Price, aged 24, who landed in Jamaica in 1684 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Price (post 1700) +

Mary Violet Leontyne Price (b. 1927), American operatic soprano and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (1911-1993), American film actor and writer, best known for his performances in horror films, founder of the eponymous Vincent Price Art Museum in California
Florence Price (1887-1953), American classical composer pianist, organist and music teacher, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition played by a major orchestra; she composed more than 300 works, including four symphonies, four concertos
Toni Price (1961-2024), American country blues singer from Texas
Betty Ann Price (1931-2023), American music teacher, art director and ambassador
Jimmie William Price (1941-2023), American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1967 to 1971, color commentator for the Detroit Tigers Radio Network
William Rayford Price (1937-2023), American politician, Member in the Texas House of Representatives (1961-1973), Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (1972-1973)
Richard Price (1723-1791), from Glamorganshire, a Nonconformist minister and political philosopher, best known for his works supporting the American and French revolutions
Michael F. Price (1951-2022), American value investor and fund manager who ran the hedge fund MFP Investors LLC
Lloyd Price (1933-2021), American R&B vocalist, known as "Mr. Personality", after his 1959 million-selling hit, "Personality", inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998
... (Another 41 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Price family +

Air New Zealand Flight 901

Miss Beverley Joy Price (1930-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Sandringham, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 18
Mrs. Beatrice Irene Price (1893-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Sandringham, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; she died in the crash 18

Bradford City stadium fire

Herbert Price (1907-1985), from Shipley who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and he died in the fire

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Price, British Assistant Pantryman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 19
Mr. Thomas Price, British Assistant Saloon Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 19
Mr. John Henry Price, British Seaman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 19
Ms. Hannah Price (d. 1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 19
Mrs. Fanny Price (1858-1914), née Plumley New Zealander First Class Passenger from Auckland, New Zealand who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 19

Flight TWA 800

Mrs. Peggy Normile Price (1948-1996), from Englewood, Colorado, USA, American passenger flying aboard Flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; she died in the crash 20
Mr. Dennis George Price (1947-1996), from Englewood, Colorado, USA, American passenger flying aboard flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 20

Fraterville mine

Mr. Robert Price (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 21

HMS Dorsetshire

Albert Ernest Price (d. 1945), British Petty Officer Airman aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 22

HMS Hood

Mr. William A Price (b. 1900), English Warrant Shipwright serving for the Royal Navy from Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
Mr. Alfred C J P Price (b. 1920), English Shipwright 4th Class serving for the Royal Navy from Woolston, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. W M Price, British Chief Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
Mr. S Price, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
Mr. N Price, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
Mr. Maurice Price (b. 1902), English Commander from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 24
Mr. Evan Price, British Corporal, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 24
... (Another 1 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Repulse

Mr. Richard Sidney Price, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 25
Mr. David Leslie Price, British Ordinary Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 25

Prince of Wales colliery

Mr. James Price (b. 1863), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 26
Mr. William Price (b. 1852), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 26

RMS Lusitania

Mr. C. Price, English Waiter from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 27

RMS Titanic

Mr. Ernest Price (d. 1912), aged 17, English Barman from London, England who worked aboard the RMS Titanic, died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett 28

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. George A. Price (b. 1885), Welsh coal miner from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 29
Mr. Harold Price (b. 1891), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 29
Mr. ldris Price (b. 1895), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 29

SS Atlantic

John W. Price, American who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Edward P. Price, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

USS Arizona

Mr. Arland Earl Price, American Radioman Second Class from Oregon, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 30

USS Indianapolis

James Denny Price (1920-2005), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 31

Winter Quarters coal mine

Mr. John Roderik Price (b. 1882), Welsh mine worker residing in Scofield, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 32

The Price Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vita brevis gloria aeterna
Motto Translation: Life is short, glory eternal

Sources +

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"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
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