Find out how popular the last name Pratcher is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pratcher.

Pratcher, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pratcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pratcher in America

Pratcher is the 39281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pratcher surname appeared 560 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pratcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pratcher to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Pratcher

The surname Pratcher is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "praten," which means "to trick or deceive." It is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive surname for someone who was known for their mischievous or deceitful behavior.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Pratcher can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1221, where it appears as "Robertus le Prater." This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially used as a nickname before evolving into a hereditary surname.

During the Middle Ages, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset, where it was commonly associated with rural communities and farming families. It is likely that the name Pratcher was derived from a local dialect or regional variation of the word "praten."

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Pratcher was John Pratcher, a wealthy landowner and merchant who lived in Bristol during the late 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and served as a city alderman from 1482 to 1493.

In the 16th century, the name Pratcher appeared in the parish records of several Gloucestershire villages, including Bibury, Painswick, and Winchcombe. This suggests that the name had become well-established in the region by this time.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Pratcher family settled in the village of Stanton, Gloucestershire. One of their descendants, William Pratcher (1675-1748), was a respected local farmer and landowner who served as a churchwarden for the parish church.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Pratcher was Richard Pratcher (1721-1792), a successful merchant and ship owner from Bristol. He amassed a considerable fortune through his maritime trade ventures and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the endowment of a school for underprivileged children.

As the Pratcher family spread throughout England in the 18th and 19th centuries, the name appeared in various historic records and documents, including census records, parish registers, and military records. Some individuals with the surname Pratcher even found their way to the British colonies in North America and the Caribbean during this period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pratcher

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pratcher.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pratcher was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Pratcher has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pratcher was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pratcher, please contact us.

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