Prothera History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

Etymology of Prothera

What does the name Prothera mean?

This old, proud name is a patronymic name created from the Welsh personal name Rhydderc, Riderch, or Roderick, all of which mean "reddish-brown." The surname Prothera features the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix "ap-," which means "son of." The original form of the name was ap-Rhydderc, or ap-Riderch, but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time.

Early Origins of the Prothera family

The surname Prothera 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, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Prothera family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prothera research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1688 is included under the topic Early Prothera History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prothera 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 Prothera have included Protheroe, Prytherch, Prothers, Rhydderch and others.

Early Notables of the Prothera family

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

Migration of the Prothera family

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 Prothera: Elizabeth Protheroe who settled in Virginia in 1663; Thomas Prothers settled in Barbados in 1679 with his servants; Sylvanus Prytherow settled in New England in 1762..

The Prothera 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.