Show ContentsPorras History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Porras was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. Porras is based on the name Peter. This name was a baptismal name that was originally derived from the French name Pierre and was a diminutive of the name Parrot, which means little Peter.

Interestingly, the English word "parrot," for the talking bird, was not in use until the 16th century, much later than this word's use as a surname.

Another source claims the name was originally "De Perrott from Castel Perrott, which he built in Armorica (Brittany), and the town of Perrott, one league from it. He came over to England in 957, and obtained some lands in Wessex, on a river which changed its name to the Perrot (now corrupted to the Parret), in Somersetshire." 1

Early Origins of the Porras family

The surname Porras was first found in Pembrokeshire where they were granted the lands of Ystington, Haroldston, and Carew Castle in that shire by King William for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. 2 Sir Stephen Perrott married Helen, the daughter of Marchion Ap Rice, Prince of South Wales at the beginning of the 12th century. "The valour and magnanimity of Sir Stephen gained him the respect and love of the Princess Ellyn's people. Their son, Sir Andrew, claimed the kingdom of Wales, in right of his mother, and collected a body of forces in assertion of his right, but the King of England marched a numerous army into the country to take advantage of the disorders; the knowledge of which and a sum of money offered by the English king, through the Bishop of St. David's, brought him to declare for that prince, who knighted him, on his doing homage for the land for twenty miles round Sir William's camp, whereon he built the Castle of Narbeth, whose ruins are extant in Pembroke." 1

Thorp Perrot Hall is a large 18th-century country house standing in an estate on the northern edge of Snape village. North Perrot(t) is a parish, in the union of Yeovil, hundred of Houndsborough, Berwick, and Coker, W. division of Somerset and South Perrot(t) is a parish, in the union of Beaminster, hundred of Beaminster-Forum, and Redhone, Bridport division of Dorset. 3

"The name of Parrott, probably a form of Perrett or Perrott, a common Somersetshire name, is better represented in Buckinghamshire, and is referred to also under that county. There was a gentle family of Parratt in the parish of Enstone [Oxfordshire] during the reign of Elizabeth." 4

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. Ralph Perot was listed in Essex in 1235 and later in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Bedfordshire. William Poret was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1301; and John Parrat was in early London records in 1344. 5

Early History of the Porras family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Porras research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1528, 1550, 1571, 1579, 1583, 1588, 1592, 1597, 1601, 1604, 1608, 1611, 1617, 1622, 1626, 1629, 1636, 1659, 1671, 1677, 1679 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Porras History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Porras Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Porras were recorded, including Perrot, Parrott, Parrot, Perrott, Perot, Perott, Perrett and many more.

Early Notables of the Porras family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Rober Perrot (died 1550), English organist of Magdalen College, Oxford, second son of George Perrot of Harroldston, Pembrokeshire; Sir James Perrot (1571-1636), a Welsh writer and politician, Member of Parliament for Haverfordwest in 1597, (1604-1622) and (1626-1629), Custos Rotulorum of Pembrokeshire...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Porras Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Porras Ranking

In the United States, the name Porras is the 5,148th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Porras family to Ireland

Some of the Porras family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 104 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Porras migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Porras arrived in North America very early:

Porras Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Rodrigo De Porras, who arrived in America in 1814 7
  • Costanza De Porras, who landed in America in 1817 7
  • Diego De Porras, who landed in America in 1828 7
  • Manuel Porras, aged 60, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1830 7
  • Juan A Porras, aged 39, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1831 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Porras (post 1700) +

  • Rick Porras, American producer, notably co-producing The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
  • Jerry I. Porras (b. 1938), American organizational theorist, Lane Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior and Change at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business
  • Ana Maria Porras, American biomedical engineer, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Florida
  • Mario Porras, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for California, 1972 8
  • María Paula Porras (b. 2002), Costa Rican footballer
  • Federico Porras Jr. (b. 2005), Mexican actor, known for A que no me dejas, Los Miserables and Por siempre amor
  • Jorge Armando Porras (b. 1959), former Colombian football player
  • Raúl Porras Barrenechea (1897-1960), Peruvian diplomat, historian and politician. He was President of the Senate in 1957 and Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1958 and 1960
  • Rafaela Porras Ayllón (1850-1925), Spanish Roman Catholic professed religious who co-established the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
  • José Francisco Porras Hidalgo (b. 1970), Costa Rican retired footballer who last played for Carmelita in Costa Rica
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Porras 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: Amo ut invenio
Motto Translation: I love as I find


  1. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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