UK surname
A surname potentially derived from the French word meaning "meadow" or "pasture."
In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Prat surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28, ranked #36,125, down from #20,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Birse and Arundel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prat is 185 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.2%.
1881 census count
91
Ranked #20,843
Modern count
28
2016, ranked #36,125
Peak year
1861
185 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Prat surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Prat surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 182 | #11,209 |
| 1861 | historical | 185 | #12,799 |
| 1881 | historical | 91 | #20,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 48 | #30,447 |
| 1901 | historical | 27 | #31,057 |
| 1911 | historical | 47 | #28,110 |
| 1997 | modern | 25 | #35,261 |
| 1998 | modern | 25 | #35,365 |
| 1999 | modern | 28 | #35,127 |
| 2000 | modern | 26 | #35,295 |
| 2001 | modern | 28 | #34,936 |
| 2002 | modern | 26 | #35,338 |
| 2003 | modern | 25 | #35,471 |
| 2004 | modern | 25 | #35,610 |
| 2005 | modern | 26 | #35,674 |
| 2006 | modern | 24 | #35,981 |
| 2007 | modern | 21 | #36,290 |
| 2008 | modern | 23 | #36,211 |
| 2009 | modern | 26 | #36,111 |
| 2010 | modern | 28 | #36,084 |
| 2011 | modern | 30 | #35,949 |
| 2012 | modern | 27 | #36,102 |
| 2013 | modern | 30 | #35,990 |
| 2014 | modern | 27 | #36,180 |
| 2015 | modern | 27 | #36,173 |
| 2016 | modern | 28 | #36,125 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Birse, Arundel, St Pancras and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Birse | Aberdeen |
| 3 | Arundel | Sussex |
| 4 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Prat surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Prat, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Prat surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Prat household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Prat is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Prat is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Prat, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname PRAT originated in France and is derived from the French word "prat," which means "meadow" or "field." This name first appeared in the regions of Normandy and Brittany during the Middle Ages, likely referring to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow or field.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PRAT can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named William Prat is listed as holding lands in Nottinghamshire, England. This suggests that the name had already been established in Normandy before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Hugues Prat was a prominent cleric and theologian who served as the Bishop of Chartres from 1183 to 1189. He is remembered for his contributions to the Gothic architecture of Chartres Cathedral.
During the 13th century, a wealthy merchant named Jean Prat lived in the city of Lyon, France. He is recorded as having made significant donations to the construction of the city's churches and monasteries.
In the 16th century, a French soldier named Claude Prat gained recognition for his bravery during the Italian Wars. He was knighted on the battlefield by King Francis I in 1525 for his valor in the Battle of Pavia.
Another notable figure was Pierre Prat (1595-1676), a French jurist and statesman who served as the President of the Parlement of Paris, one of the highest legal institutions in France at the time.
Over the centuries, the surname PRAT has evolved into various spellings, such as Pratt, Pratte, and Prates, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes. Some of these variations are also associated with specific place names, like the town of Prats-de-Mollo in Catalonia, Spain.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prat surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 17 Prats recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.49x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Sussex | 17 | 11.49x |
| Aberdeenshire | 9 | 11.07x |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 0.92x |
| Devon | 7 | 3.83x |
| Fife | 7 | 13.47x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.67x |
| Essex | 6 | 3.46x |
| Glamorgan | 6 | 3.93x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.68x |
| Shropshire | 5 | 6.59x |
| Angus | 2 | 2.46x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 3.31x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 0.70x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.38x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.58x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.33x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 1.58x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 3.58x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.23x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birse in Aberdeenshire leads with 9 Prats recorded in 1881 and an index of 2727.27x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Birse | 9 | 2727.27x |
| Arundel | 8 | 963.86x |
| Cupar | 6 | 265.49x |
| Llanrhidian Higher | 6 | 618.56x |
| Tormoham | 6 | 77.62x |
| Broadwater | 5 | 147.06x |
| East Ham | 5 | 155.28x |
| Leeds | 5 | 10.18x |
| St Pancras London | 5 | 7.08x |
| Wem | 5 | 442.48x |
| Liverpool | 4 | 6.32x |
| Walberton | 4 | 2222.22x |
| Barony | 2 | 2.78x |
| Harpenden | 2 | 217.39x |
| Lochee | 2 | 273.97x |
| Ash Next Sandwich | 1 | 151.52x |
| Blackburn | 1 | 3.61x |
| Bramley In Bramley | 1 | 30.03x |
| Cranham | 1 | 833.33x |
| Croydon | 1 | 4.21x |
| Flamborough | 1 | 238.10x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 1 | 8.84x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.18x |
| Leyton Low | 1 | 28.41x |
| Meaux | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Milford Haven | 1 | 434.78x |
| Newport | 1 | 33.00x |
| Sampford Peverell | 1 | 526.32x |
| Strathmiglo | 1 | 161.29x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 2.84x |
| Withington | 1 | 29.76x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Prat surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Prat surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Prat households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 16 |
| General Labourer | 4 |
| Embroidress | 2 |
| Visitor | 2 |
| Artificial Tooth Maker | 1 |
| Brickmaker | 1 |
| Buss Driver | 1 |
| Cook (Domestic Serv) | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Domastic Servant | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Farm Serv (Domestic Ind) | 1 |
| Gen Laborer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Laborer | 1 |
| House Painter | 1 |
| Hurdle Maker | 1 |
| Labourer Iron Works | 1 |
| Labourer Railway | 1 |
| Labourer Wife | 1 |
| Labourer Woodman | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Nurse | 1 |
| O Seaman | 1 |
| Ordnery Seaman | 1 |
| Sailor | 1 |
| Seamans Wife | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Skinners Labourer | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
| Woollen Cloth Weaver (W C M) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Prat surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 28 in 2016. That gives Prat a modern rank of #36,125.
A surname potentially derived from the French word meaning "meadow" or "pasture."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Prat bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.