The word "precedence" comes from the Latin praecēdere, meaning "to go before," and has roots in the French précédence. It is derived from the present participle stem of praecēdere, which means "to go in front of" or "go ahead of".  The word was likely derived from or influenced by other linguistic items, possibly including the noun precedent, along with the suffix -ence,  and was a synonym for "precedent," it may have also been modeled on the French word précédence.  Over time, precedence evolved to have a distinct meaning related to priority and rank, which distinguishes it from the related but separate word precedent, meaning "an example",  It had a distinct meaning of priority, rank, or importance, particularly in formal contexts like assemblies or social gatherings.  However, over time, precedence evolved to have a distinct meaning related to priority and rank, which distinguishes it from the related but separate word precedent, meaning "an example, such as act or right of preceding another in order, rank, or importance.  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, (OED), the noun precedence was first used in English in 1484.  It originated during the Middle English period, which lasted from approximately 1150 to 1500. 

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PRECEDENCE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

PRECEDENCE Synonyms: 16 Similar Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

Precedent vs. Precedence | Merriam-Webster