Primroses by Henry Le Jeune
From the common name of the flowering plant known as the Primula vulgaris, it derives from the Latin prima rosa (first rose) due to the fact the plant is known to flower very early in the spring.
Primroses are endemic across Western Europe and it is said to be the favorite flower of British statesman, Benjamin Disraeli, hence Primrose Day on April 19th. It is also the county flower of Devon, England.
As a given-name, the earliest record I could find was a christening record for a Primrose Barsten of Gloucester, England in 1624. There are 3 other records found for Primroses in 1628, 1631 and in 1676. There are also a few records for male Primroses, both as a middle name and first, between the 1700s-1800s. In the latter case, it was probably used in reference to the surname of the Earls of Rosebery in Scotland. Sir Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery (1664-1723) was a Scottish politician and 1st Earl of Rosebery to be inducted into the Peerage of Scotland in 1700. In this case, the surname is most likely derived from the Welsh elements pren (tree) & rhos (moore).
By the 1800s, there are numerous records for Primroses, most commonly as a middle name, among females christened in London.
The name is not unheard of among British upper classes, in England & Wales, it is currently the 213th most popular female name in 2018.
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