The origin of the name Prentiss is English and the Coat of Arms contains Eight gold and blue sections centred in the middle, and a silver stripe at the top with a fleur de lis between two crescents. The Crest is An eagle holding a dagger.
Spelling variations include: Prentice, Prentis, Prentiss, Prentisse and others.
First found in Essex where they were seated from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Valentine Prentice settled in Virginia in 1654; John Prentiss settled in New York in 1823; John and Thomas Prentice arrived in Philadelphia in 1808.
