Surname Bratt - Meaning and Origin
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Bratt: What does the surname Bratt mean?
The last name Bratt is derived from the Old English words bratt meaning an "apparel, a cloak, a short jacket, especially a jester's garb". The name is likely to have originated from an occupational name for people who make or supply clothing for an occupation or trade. It is possible that the name was also used as a nickname for someone who was particularly vain and was fond of wearing fine clothing.
In the Middle Ages, when last names were coming into widespread use, people often adopted the last names of their occupation as a means of showing their allegiance or profession. This was especially true for people known as "breeches makers" or "bratmakers"—people who worked with cloth to make clothing. As the term brat came to be associated with their trade, people who were engaged in this trade likely adopted the surname of Bratt in order to indicate their profession and differentiate themselves from other tradespeople.
Along with occupational origins, the name Bratt may also have developed as a nickname for someone who was particularly vain or fond of wearing fine clothing. This nickname would have been used in a jokingly manner; the assumption being that someone who was overly concerned with their appearance was somehow "dressed up" in an overly fancy or showy way.
In modern times, the surname Bratt may be used by people of any profession; however, it still carries a connotation of someone who is fond of wearing fashionable or fine clothing.
Order DNA origin analysisBratt: Where does the name Bratt come from?
The last name Bratt is most common in the Nordic countries, particularly Sweden. The name Bratt is derived from the old Swedish word "Bratt" which means steep or slope, and was likely given as a nickname to someone who lived in an area of terrain that was particularly steep or hilly.
The name Bratt is widely distributed in Sweden, where it is the 902nd most common surname; the origin of the name is from the Swedish province of Jämtland. Bratt is also found in Norway, where it is one of the top 500 most common surnames; the name is popular in the counties of Rogaland, Hordaland, and Telemark. The last name Bratt is also found in Finland, particularly in the province of Ostrobothnia, where the name is the 670th most common surname.
Bratt is not a particularly common name in the United States, according to data from the US Census Bureau. In terms of global distribution, the last name Bratt is most common in Sweden and Norway.
Variations of the surname Bratt
The surname Bratt is an English, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian surname. Variants of the surname include Bratt, Brett, Brat, Brettt, and Bratell.
The English variant of the surname Bratt originated as a nickname for someone with a fierce personality, derived from the Middle English “bratt,” meaning a garment, figuratively used to represent a garment of force and violence.
In German, the surname Bratt is derived from the Middle High German word “braht,” also derived from the Middle High German word “braht,” meaning brat. The German surname is also found as Brett or Bret.
The Dutch variant, Brat, is found in Dutch records as early as the 13th century. It was found as a diminutive form of the name Abraham, meaning the son of Abraham.
In Scandinavia, the variants Bratt and Brattberg are derived from the Middle Low German word “brōte,” meaning a steep mountain slope.
Common Anglo-American surname variants of the surname Bratt have developed including Brattain, Bratton, Bratten, Bretain, Bratine, Brattan, Brattee, Brattey, Bratti, Bretee, Brette, and Bretch.
Finally, the Welsh variant of the surname is “Prydderch.” Derived from an Old Welsh personal name, “pryd-derch,” meaning “bright-eyed.”
Famous people with the name Bratt
- Benjamin Bratt: American actor of stage, film and television
- Brian Bratt: American photographer
- Gregory Bratt: American actor and comedian
- John Bratt: British clergyman and educator
- Kevin Bratt: American film editor
- Nick Bratt: American teenage pop singer
- Portia Bratt: American actress
- Reginald Bratt: British military officer and businessman
- Sean Bratt: American film director and entrepreneur
- Stephanie Bratt: actress, writer, producer
- Xavi Bratt: Spanish footballer
- Zeb Bratt: American actor and producer