| ![Show Contents]() Pritts History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of PrittsWhat does the name Pritts mean? The earliest origins of the Pritts surname date from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name reveals that an early member was 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 Pritts familyThe surname Pritts was first found in Staffordshire where "the earliest mention of this name is in the year 1192, when Engeran de Praetis attests the grant of the chapel of Hope-cum-Tideswell, by John, Earl of Moreton, to the cathedral of Lichfield." 2 Early History of the Pritts familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pritts research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1192, 1612, 1661 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Pritts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Pritts Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Pritts are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pritts include: Prettyman, Pretyman, Pretty and others. Early Notables of the Pritts familyAnother 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pritts Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Pritts RankingIn the United States, the name Pritts is the 18,499th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3
| Pritts migration to the United States | + |
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Pritts or a variant listed above:
Pritts Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Benedict Pritts, who arrived in Virginia in 1681 4
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- "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)
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