Surname Prator - Meaning and Origin
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Prator: What does the surname Prator mean?
The surname Prator is of old French origin, derived from the word "prévôt", which means "provost" or "administrator". It was typically given to a chief magistrate, gaoler, or similar official in a position of authority during the Middle Ages. In a broader sense, the name can denote a steward or superintendent, particularly someone charged with the maintenance of a lord's estates.
The surname could reflect the occupation or role of the original bearer's family in their community, indicating that they held a significant position. Alternately, it could have been an aspirational name adopted for its connotations of status and authority. As with many surnames, variations in spelling may exist due to regional dialects and phonetic spelling in historical records. Over time, "prévôt" could have evolved into different forms like Prator, Provost, or Prevost.
Remember that surname interpretations can be speculative. The specific meaning for an individual family could be entirely different, based on personal or localized traditions and nuances. Without additional genealogical information, tracing the exact lineage and significance of the surname Prator is challenging.
Order DNA origin analysisPrator: Where does the name Prator come from?
The last name Prator is most commonly found in the United States today. The name first arrived in America during the late 16th to early 17th centuries. American records indicate that many Prator immigrants arrived from England, France, Germany, and Scotland.
By the late 19th century, Prator immigrants had settled mainly in Southern states like North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee. In the 20th century, due to better transportation and job opportunities, Prator families began to spread out across the United States.
Today, Prator families can be found in every corner of the United States. The largest concentration of Prator families is still found in the South, with Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina being the most Prator-populated states. As of the 2020 USA Census, California and Texas also had significant populations of Prator.
The use of the Prator surname is widespread across the United States today, indicating a wide distribution for the family name. It doesn't seem to be concentrated in any particular region or area, and continues to be a common surname throughout the US.
Variations of the surname Prator
The surname Prator is an occupational surname of French origin derived from the French word for 'mason.' It is typically found in the Pyrénées Atlantiques region in France and it is also found in the Southwest United States, particularly in California, Arizona, and Louisiana.
Variants and spellings of the surname Prator include Prateur, Preader, Praer, Preaur, Praor, Pratori, Pratorius, Preuro, and Preurus.
Surnames of similar origin include Pradier, Pretet, Prenant, Preret, and Preuil. Alternatively, the surname could also be derived from Latin, in which case variants include Pratorsius, Pratorio, and Pratorius.
The surname Prator is also found in several other countries in Europe, including Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Variants and surnames of similar origin in these countries include Pretoria (Italian), Pradere (Spanish), Prettori (Portuguese), and Pratorer (German).
In England, the surname may have been influenced by the French word ‘pretor,’ meaning master of requests. In this case, variants include Preater, Preator, and Preder.
It is worth noting that in some cases, Prator may be a variation of another surname such as Prater, Pradier, or Pratoria. It is possible that Prator was adopted by immigrants from France who wanted to blend in with a more common English surname.
Researching the origin of the surname Prator can be a challenge since it is not a widely used surname. This is due to the sparsity of records about the surname in both French and English archives. However, by exploring variants and surnames of similar origin, it is possible to trace the history of the Prator surname back to its origin.
Famous people with the name Prator
- Cheyenne Prator: Grammy-winning singer-songwriter from Louisiana
- Stan Prator: American professional baseball player prominent in the 1960s
- Richie Prator: former Major League Baseball player and current broadcaster
- Matt Prator: Current football head coach at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma
- Robert Prator: American artist and sculptor
- Joseph Prator: American professional golfer
- Adam Prator: Former professional football player
- Dougie Prator: Former professional football player
- Angelique Prator: Author and poet
- Ray Prator Sr.: Former professional football player
- Paul Prator: Former professional football player
- Bob Prator: Former professional football player
- Wilbur Prator: Former professional football player
- A.J. Prator: Current opera singer
- Johnnie Prator: Former professional basketball player