Pratt
/præt/noun
A surname and place name, and in some dialectal or historical uses a variant spelling related to practical or prate-like forms.
Did you know?As a surname, Pratt is usually explained as a Middle English nickname from Old French pratte/prate-related forms or from a personal-name tradition, but it does not have one single universally agreed “dark” root like mortgage or disaster.
Etymological Timeline
Old English / Old French background
OE / OF
prat / prate
“A word family connected with talk, chatter, or a nimble, clever sense in some historical uses.”
Middle English
ME
prat / pratte
“A nickname or surname-forming element, often associated with speech, wit, or a descriptive personal label.”
Late Middle English
ME
Pratt
“A hereditary surname established from a nickname or personal designation.”
Modern English
English
Pratt
“A common surname and place name.”