Price Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Price Origin:

Wales, England

Origins of Name:

The surname of Price has two possible origins, however these possible origins of the surname of Price come from opposing sources. The first possible origin of the surname of Price comes from the country of Wales. It is believed that the surname may have developed from a 14th century form of “ap Rhys,” which can be rendered to mean “son of the fiery warrior.” The prefix of “ap” can be translated to mean “son of,” while the given personal name of “Rhys” can be translated to mean “fiery warrior.” Throughout the country of Wales, the surname of Price is a very popular surname, not only because of the noble meaning of the name, but also to honor the noble King “Rhys ap Tewder,” who stood as the last ruler of Wales as an independent entity, before it was taken over. The second possible origin of the surname of Price derives from the nation of France. It is believed that during the Norman French Invasion of the year of 1066, the Old French word “pris” which can be translated to mean “price” was brought to England and the neighboring country of Wales. It is said that the word “pris” was used to describe an early Trading Standards Officer, or someone who set the local prices for both goods and services within any given area.

Variations:

More common variations are: Brice, Pryce, Preece, Pryse, Preese, Preice, Priece, Prisce, Purice, Parice, Perice, Pricee, Porice, Pprice, Prioce

History:

England:

The first recorded spelling of the surname of Price comes from within the country of England. One person who was known as Robert Price was mentioned in the year 1297 within the Minister’s Accounts of the Earldom of Cornwall. This document was ordered, decreed, and written under the reign of one King Edward I of England, who was known throughout the turns of time as one “The Hammer of the Scots,” and was thus named for the wars he waged with the country of Scotland. King Edward I of England ruled from the year 1272 to the year 1307. Other mentions of the surname of Price throughout the country of England include on Richard Prys, who was named in the Feet of Fines in the County of Essex in the year of 1320, and one Jowerth ap Reys who was mentioned in the London Pleas Records in the year of 1393. Those who are known by the surname of Price can be found within the areas of Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Lancashire counties.

Wales:

Throughout the country of Wales, the surname of Price is very popular. The areas of the country of Wales that have the largest population of people who bear the surname of Price can be found within Carmarthenshire, Glamorgan, and Monmouthshire counties.

United States of America:

During the 1600’s it was common for European citizens to migrate to the United States of America due to the state of their governments. People throughout Europe were dissatisfied with the living conditions in the countries of their birth, and thus moved to the United States in search of a better life for them and their families. Among some of the first settlers in the New World were people who bore the surname of Price. One Henry Price was the first recorded person with this surname in America, and he settled down in the state of Virginia in the year of 1622.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Price: United States 253,334; England 55,028; Australia 20,118; Canada 15,229; Wales 11,469; South Africa 11,196; New Zealand 3,820; Scotland 2,678; France 1,249; Uganda 1,120

Notable People:

Ray Price (1937-2015) who was a motorcycle drag racer, who is known as the “Father of the Funnybike” and who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame

Sean Price (1972-2015) who was a rapper and member of the hip hop group Boot Camp Clik

Simeon Price, who was a bronze medalist for the sport of golf at the 1904 Olympic games

Noble Ray Price (1926-2013) who was a country singer, songwriter, and guitarist from America, who was known as the “Cherokee Cowboy” who was inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in the year 1996

Richard Price (1723-1791) who was from Glamorganshire, and who was a Nonconformist minister and political philosopher, who is most notably recognized for his works which supported the American and French Revolutions

Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born in 1927) who was an operatic soprano from America, and who was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Willard DeMille Price (1887-1983) who was a Canadian-born natural historian, and who was an author of children’s fiction

Charles Melvin Price (1905-1988) who was a politician from America, and who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Rhiwlas, co. Merioneth; descended from Marchwithian, a chieftian of North Wales, who served under Prince Gruffydd ap Cynan at the close of the 11th century). Motto—Vita brevis gloria æterna. (Gilir, co. Merioneth; descended from Rhiwlas. Of this family was Robert Price, M.P., Baron of the Exchequer). Gu. a lion ramp. ar. armed and langued az. Crest—A lion ramp. ar. holding a rose sprig in the right paw.
2) (Bryn-y-Pys, co. Flint; Francis Price, Esq., of Bryn-y-Pys, and Castle Lyons, Ireland, m. Alice, dau. and eventually heiress of John Cleveland, of Birkenhead, co. Chester, and had a son, Richard Price, Esq., who assumed the name of Parryy, in consequence of a bequest by the Right Hon. Benjamin Parry). Az. on a chev. ar. betw. three leopards’ heads erased or, three spearheads sa.
3) (Glangwilly, co. Carmarthen; descended from the Lloyds of that place, and the Lloyds of Crynfryn and Olmarch, co. Cardigan). Motto—Spea tutissima coelis. Quarterly, 1st, ar. a lion ramp. reguard. sa. langued gu.; 2nd, sa. semée of trefoils or; 3rd, sa. a boar pass ar.; 4th, az. a wolf ramp. ar. armed and langued gu.; 5th, sa. three scaling ladders, betw. the upper ones a spear’s head ar. the point embrued ppr. on a chief gu. a tower triple-towered of the second; 6th, gu. a chev. betw. three roses ar. Crest—A wolf ramp. ar. langued gu.
4) (Plas Cadnant, co. Anglesey). Motto—Na fynw Duw ni fydd. Or, a falcon rising az. Crest—A falcon, as in the arms.
5) (Foxley, co. Hereford, bart., extinct 1857). Motto—Auxilium meum a Domino. Gu. a lion ramp. ar. Crest—A lion, as in the arms, holding in the dexter forepaw a rose slipped ppr.
6) (Rugge-Price, Spring Grove, co. Surrey, bart.). Motto—Vive ut vivas. Quarterly, 1st and 4th, gu. a lion ramp. ar., for Price; 2nd and 3rd, sa. on a chev. invected ar. betw. three mullets or, pierced of the fleld, a unicorn’s head erased of the first, for Rugge. Crests—1st: A lion ramp. ar. in the dexter paw a rose slipped ppr., for Price; 2nd: A talbot pass. ar. gorged with a collar or, and pendent therefrom an escocheon sa. charged with the head of an ibex couped also ar., for Rugge.
7) (Trengwainton, co. Cornwall, bart.). Sa. a chev. erminois betw. three spears’ heads ar. embrued at the points ppr. Crest—A dragon’s head vert erased gu. holding in the mouth a sinister hand couped at the wrist dropping blood all ppr.
8) (The Priory and Fonmon, co. Brecknock). Sa. a chev. betw. three spearheads ar. embrued gu.
9) (Castle Madoc, co. Brecknock). Quarterly, 1st, sa. a chev. betw. spearheads or, embrued gu.; 2nd, gu. a lion ramp. reguard. or; 3rd, ar. a dragon’s head erased, holding in the mouth a hand gu.; 4th, gu. a chev. erm.; 5th, per pale gu. and sa. three fleurs-de-lis or; 6th, sa. a fesse betw. three swords erect ar. pommels and hilts or. Crests—1st: A dragon’s head erased ppr. bearing in the mouth a sinister hand couped gu. dropping blood ; 2nd: A boar’s head erased.
10) (co. Brecknock). Or, a chev. betw. three spearheads sa.
11) (Westbury, co. Buckingham). Ar. three Cornish choughs sa. beaked and legged gu. Crest—A leopard’s head or.
12) (co. Carnarvon). Or, a lion ramp. reguard. sa.
13) (co. Denbigh). Gu. a lion ramp. ar. (another, or). Crest—A lion ramp. or, holding a rose gu. stalked and leaved vert.
14) (Green-Price, Norton Manor, co. Radnor, bart.). Motto—Vive hodic. Sa. a chev. invected ar. betw. three escutcheons of the last, each charged with a spearhead of the first embrued ppr. Crest—In front of a dragon’s head erased vert, holding in the mouth a dexter hand couped at the wrist gu. three escallops ar.
15) (co. Chester). Ar. three torteaux in bend betw. two cotises sa.
16) (Barton-Regis, co. Gloucester; granted 8 April, 1573). Ar. a cross betw. four pheons az. Crest—Out of a mural coronet or, a lion’s head ppr.
17) (co. Hereford). Sa. a chev. betw. three leopards’ faces or, on a chief ar. as many spearheads of the first embrued gu.
18) (Washingley, co. Huntingdon). Sa. three spears ar.
19) (London). Ar. a chev. betw. three pheons sa. Crest—A griffin’s head erased ar. in the beak a thistle gu. stalked and leaved vert, all betw. two wings ppr. Motto—Virtus præ numina.
20) (London). Ar. a cock sa. Crest—A horse’s head couped gu. in the mouth a spear ar.
21) (Jesus’ College, Oxford). Az. three stags trippant ar.
22) (Kingston-upon-Thames, co. Surrey; confirmed 1602). Or, a lion ramp. reguard. sa. on a canton of the second a garb of the first. Crest—On a mural coronet or. a lion ramp. reguard. sa. holding in the forefeet a fleur-de-lis gold.
23) (quartered by Fountaine, of Nasford Hall, co. Norfolk, and Reg. in Coll. of Arms). Or, guttée de poix a lion ramp. reguard. sa. gorged with a chain gold, pendent therefrom an escocheon of the first charged with an elephant’s head erased sa.
24) (Wales). Ar. three cocks gu. armed, crested, and jelloped or.
25) (Wales). Ar. a lion pass. gu. betw. three fleurs- de-lis az.
26) (Wales). Gu. a griffin segreant or, collared az. betw. three fleurs-de-lis ar.
27) (Wales). Ar. a chev. betw. three spearheads sa.
“28) (Keenagh, co. Longford; Fun. Ent. Ulster’s Office, 1642, Christopher Price, Gentleman of the Ordnance in
Ireland, son of Captain Samuel Price, of Keenagh, and grandson of Peter Price, of Whitford, co. Flint). Ar. a chev. betw. three boars’ heads couped sa. langued, vulned, and distilling drops of blood gu.”
29) (confirmed by Carney, Ulster, 1686, to John Price, Esq., His Majesty’s Receiver-General and Treasurer at War in Ireland). Az. on a chev. ar. betw. three leopards’ heads erased affrontée or, as many spearheads sa. embrued gu. Crest—A cock gu. holding in the mouth a peascod ppr. Motto—In vigila sic vinces.
30) (Saintfield, co. Down; exemplified to James Blackwood, Esq.. of that place, on his assuming, by royal licence, 1847, the surname of Price, in lieu of Blackwood, in compliance with an injunction in a deed made by Nicholas Price, Esq., of Saintfield House). Az. three lions’ heads erased or, a bordure of the last. Crest—A lion’s head, as in the arms. Motto—Quis timet.
31) (co. Stafford). Ar. on a bend cotised gu. three plates.