BRATT

The surname Bratt is an English and Norse name whose earliest forms appear in medieval documents from the British Isles. It is recorded in spellings such as Brat, Brate and Bratt, the oldest surviving entry being that of Robarte Brat dated 14 January 1538 and witnessed at St Antholin’s Church, London.

The name is generally understood to have two principal etymological sources. From Old Norse, the word brattr means “steep” or “high”. This derivation suggests that the surname was originally a topographical nickname for a person who lived upon or near a steep hill or slope, a common practice in Scandinavian settlement areas during the Viking age. In Old English, the word brytt can mean “breach” or “fragment”, and has been proposed as a variant of the surname Brett. It may have identified an individual known for breaking or fragmenting objects, or it may allude to a breach in a fort or boundary.

Medieval English usage also provides a third possible root in the Old English word brat(te), translating as a cloak or pinafore. In the Middle Ages, surnames were often occupational. Those who made or supplied such garments—cloaks, small jackets or jester’s apparel—could have been called Bratt to mark their trade. The name is therefore also linked to a profession that involved working with cloth, a common occupation among early Christian laypeople in England who sought to demonstrate their vocation through surname choice.

Besides these English references, the surname appears in Scandinavian contexts where it derives from the Swedish word Bratt, meaning “steep” or “slope”. The name is predominantly found in Sweden, where it ranks roughly one thousandth among common surnames, especially in the province of Jämtland. It is also among the top five hundred surnames in Norway, with significant occurrences in the counties of Rogaland, Hordaland and Telemark, and it is recorded in Finland’s Ostrobothnia region, positioned as the six hundred and seventieth most common name.

Across Western Europe, the surname has several variants, including Brat, Brett, Brettt, Bratell and, in German contexts, Beck. In Dutch records, a form of Brat appears as early as the thirteenth century and is occasionally interpreted as a diminutive of Abraham. The name has at times been linked with the Welsh word Prydderch, derived from an Old Welsh personal name meaning “bright‑eyed”. Modern bearers of the name may have professions ranging from the craftsman to roles in entirely different fields; nevertheless, its original connotations of occupation or topography continue to be recognised.

In the United States, the surname Bratt is relatively uncommon, which is reflected in the United States Census Bureau data. The majority of individuals with this surname remain in Europe, particularly in Sweden and Norway, although migratory flows have dispersed the name to Britain, where it is still noted in parish registers such as Joan Bratt of Seighford, Stafford, christened on 7 July 1562, and Elizabeth Bratt of London christened on 29 May 1573.

Typical given names associated with the Bratt surname

Male

• Andrew
• Christopher
• David
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Stephen
• Steven
• William

Female

• Angela
• Christine
• Elizabeth
• Helen
• Jacqueline
• Joanne
• Julie
• Mandy
• Margaret
• Mary
• Pauline
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Bratt in...

Braille

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Semaphore

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Bratt

• Benjamin Bratt - American actor
• Harold Bratt - Football player (1939 to 2018)
• Will Bratt - Racecar driver

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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