Pretyman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Scotland

Etymology of Pretyman

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England produced the name of Pretyman. It was given to a crafty or cunning individual. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word prætig, which meant crafty or cunning. 1 Some variants of the name have the suffix man appended to them; this seems to have occurred sometime in the late 15th or early 16th centuries.

Another source claims "the name, however, has nothing to do with prettiness, but is derived from the Latin pratum, a meadow. The Prettys of Scotland and Ireland are of English origin." 2

Early Origins of the Pretyman family

Early History of the Pretyman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pretyman research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1192, 1612, 1661 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Pretyman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pretyman Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Pretyman has appeared include Prettyman, Pretyman, Pretty and others.

Early Notables of the Pretyman family

Distinguished members of the family include

• Sir John Pretyman, 1st Baronet (ca...

Migration of the Pretyman family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Pretyman arrived in North America very early: Edward Pretty settled in New England in 1654; Thomas and Penelope Pretty settled in Virginia in 1654; George Pretty settled in Virginia in 1607; thirteen years before the ".