Pride

Etymology

The surname Pride is usually explained as an English nickname formed from the Old English root pryd-, related to the idea of pride, pomp, or dignity. Some early writers also connected it with a pageant or miracle-play character named Pride, which may have reinforced its use as a byname. Harrison additionally notes a possible Celtic/Welsh association in the sense of “precious” or “dear,” but the English nickname explanation is the clearest and most straightforward.

History

The name is recorded in England in medieval and later sources, and it appears as a simple surname without any prefix. It also turns up in discussion of the Cornish family name Prideaux, which older writers sometimes linked to Pride, though that etymology is separate and uncertain. Modern bearers of Pride are relatively few in the United States, consistent with a surname that has remained fairly uncommon.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

19th-century surname books sometimes treated Pride as a reference to one of the personified vices used in old mystery plays.

Related surnames