SPRATT
Spratt is an English surname that has its roots in the Old English word spreot, which translates to “twig” or “shoot”. The name is traditionally understood to be an occupational surname, originally given to a thatcher or a person who made or repaired roofs with thatch. The association with thatching is reflected in the literal sense of a twig or small pole used in the craft.
The earliest recorded use of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landholder named Sprot of Essex is listed. Subsequent documents from the late twelfth century provide further attestations, including the name Sprat de Spaldintona in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1175. By the 13th and 14th centuries, the name had branched into a range of spellings, with records of Agnes Sprite in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 and a christening for Raphe Spratt in London in 1551. A wedding record dated 10 August 1684 lists a Joseph Sprade at Allhallows Church on London Wall.
Variations of the surname are numerous. Common forms include Spritt, Sprott, Sprout, and Sproat. The International Genealogical Index recognises additional variants such as Sprade, Spread, Spride, and the diminutive Spriddle, while other forms recorded in historical sources are Spragg, Sprague, Sprake, Sprigg, Spriggin, and Sprigens. These variations reflect the limited literacy of the population and the influence of local dialects on spelling over successive centuries.
Although the name is principally of English origin, some early records place individuals bearing the name in Ireland, especially within the Gaelic-speaking communities of the British Isles. The surname is associated with the Christian religion and the Celtic cultural milieu present in Ireland, though the primary linguistic roots remain Old English.
The evolution of the spelling of Spratt from the original Sprot illustrates how names were adapted to local linguistic habits and how a single surname could diversify into a number of related forms while retaining its core identity as an occupational marker.
Typical given names associated with the Spratt surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Janis
- Joyce
- Karen
- Laura
- Margaret
- Mary
- Michelle
- Sally
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
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 Spratt in...
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There are approximately 2,346 people named Spratt in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,691st most common surname in Britain. Around 36 in a million people in Britain are named Spratt.
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Ireland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Spratt
- Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt - Royal Navy admiral (1811 to 1888)
- Tommy Spratt - Football player
- Jonathan Spratt - Welsh rugby union player
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.