Pruitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The surname Pruitt is derived from the Middle English word "prou," meaning "brave," or "valiant," with the addition of either of two common diminutive suffixes: "-et" or "-ot." As such, this name is thought to have originally been a nickname for someone small, but brave. 1 2

Early Origins of the Pruitt family

The surname Pruitt was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales.

One of the first records of the family was found in Somerset where Matthew Pruet was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1202. Early London records show Richard Prouet, Pruet, Prowet, there in 1278 and 1280. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 show: Andrew Pruet and William Pruet, both in Cambridgeshire at that time. In Somerset, early records there show Thomas Pruwet, Walter Prowet and Juliana Prouet, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 1

Early History of the Pruitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pruitt research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1278, 1558, 1599, 1680 and 1717 are included under the topic Early Pruitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pruitt Spelling Variations

The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Pruitt have included Pruett, Prewitt, Prewett, Pruet, Prewert and others.

Early Notables of the Pruitt family

More information is included under the topic Early Pruitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pruitt Ranking

In the United States, the name Pruitt is the 619^th most popular surname with an estimated 47,253 people with that name. 4

Pruitt migration to the United States +

During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Pruitt:

Pruitt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Pruitt, who landed in Texas in 1835 5

Pruitt Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Edwin Pruitt, aged 34, who landed in America, in 1904
Elwood Pruitt, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States, in 1919
Henry L. Pruitt, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States, in 1919
Chester A. Pruitt, who settled in America, in 1919
C. A. Pruitt, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Pruitt (post 1700) +

Wendell Oliver Pruitt (1920-1945), pioneering American military pilot
John Henry Pruitt (1896-1918), United States Marine during World War I who received 2 Medals of Honor recipient, eponym of the USS Pruitt (DD-347/AG–101)
Mary Pruitt (1934-2020), American politician and Tennessee State Representative from Nashville
Edward Scott Pruitt (b. 1968), American lawyer and Republican politician, 17th Attorney General of Oklahoma (2011-2017), 14th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (2017-)
Ralph V. Pruitt (1936-1974), American engineer at McDonnell Douglas who won the Wright Brothers Medal in 1974
Julius Pruitt, American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins
Gary B. Pruitt (b. 1957), American chief executive officer, president and chairman of the board of the McClatchy Company
Mickey Pruitt (b. 1965), former professional American football linebacker
Etric Pruitt (b. 1981), American football defensive back
Dillard Pruitt (b. 1961), American amateur golfer, former PGA golfer
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Pruitt Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Deus pascit corvos
Motto Translation: God feeds the ravens.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)