Pratt

Pratt
Recorded in various spelling forms including Pratt, Prate, Prett, and Pritt, this interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origins. It is derived from a pre 7th century word "praett" meaning a trick; and as such was probably a nickname for a magician or conjuror. It is an example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from either an occupation, or from a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, and to habits of dress. The surname is first recorded in the 12th century making it one of the earliest on record anywhere in the world. Examples of these early recordings include: Aedmund Pret of Berkshire in the Pipe Rolls of that county in 1192, and Dereman le Prat of Kent in 1198. Later examples from surviving registers include the christening Abell Pratt, the son of Arthur Pratt, on December 15th 1567, at the church of St. Bartholomew Exchange, in the city of London, whilst Thomas Pratt, aged 17 years was an early settler in the New World Colonies. He left England on the ship "America", bound for the colony of Virginia, in June 1635. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Wilfric Prat. This was dated 1179, in the "Seals Register" of the county of Suffolk, during the reign of King Henry 11 of England, 1154 -1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Pratt — is a surname, may refer to:* Al Pratt (baseball), American baseball player * Atom (Al Pratt), fictional comics character The Atom * Andy Pratt (baseball), American baseball player * Andy Pratt (singer songwriter), American singer songwriter, the… …   Wikipedia

  • Pratt — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Anthony Pratt (* 1937), britischer Filmarchitekt Anthony Ernest Pratt (1903–1994), britischer Spieleerfinder Babe Pratt (1916–1988), kanadischer Eishockeyspieler Charles Clarence Pratt (1854–1916), US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • PRATT (H.) — PRATT HUGO (1927 1995) Né à Rimini, Hugo Pratt passe son enfance à Venise. À huit ans, il conçoit un personnage qui sera celui de ses débuts professionnels onze ans plus tard: il s’agit de l’As de pique , qui donnera son nom à la revue qu’il… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Pratt — Pratt, KS U.S. city in Kansas Population (2000): 6570 Housing Units (2000): 3312 Land area (2000): 7.415572 sq. miles (19.206242 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.124815 sq. miles (0.323270 sq. km) Total area (2000): 7.540387 sq. miles (19.529512 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Pratt's — is a gentlemen s club in London. It was established in 1857, with premises in a town house in Park Place. It takes its name from William Nathaniel Pratt, who lived there from 1841. Pratt was steward to the Duke of Beaufort, who called at the… …   Wikipedia

  • Pratt — Pratt,   1) [præt], E. J. (Edwin John), kanadischer Schriftsteller, * Western Bay (Provinz Newfoundland) 4. 2. 1883, ✝ Toronto 26. 4. 1964; Studium der Theologie, 1920 53 Dozent und Professor am English Department der University of Toronto.… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Pratt, KS — U.S. city in Kansas Population (2000): 6570 Housing Units (2000): 3312 Land area (2000): 7.415572 sq. miles (19.206242 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.124815 sq. miles (0.323270 sq. km) Total area (2000): 7.540387 sq. miles (19.529512 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Pratt, WV — U.S. town in West Virginia Population (2000): 551 Housing Units (2000): 251 Land area (2000): 0.288211 sq. miles (0.746464 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.288211 sq. miles (0.746464 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Pratt — Frederic Thomas Pratt, Law of Contraband of War, with a Selection of Cases from Papers of the Right Honourable Sir George Lee (1856) Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations …   Law dictionary

  • Pratt — the surname apparently is from O.E. *prætt (adj.) “cunning, astute;” related to late O.E. noun prætt “a trick,” with cognates in M.Du. parte, Flem. perte, Norw. pretta; of unknown origin. As a type of pottery, named for Staffordshire… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pratt — pratt; pratt·fall; …   English syllables

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