The fact that most family names have some meaning has been largely forgotten in this day. Unless a person happens to be named Smith or Johnson they may not have any idea about the meaning behind their family name. There are references to the name Pratt or Prat which date back to the thirteenth century in the British Isles. While there are several theories on the origin of the name Pratt one of the most widely accepted is that it is a derivation of the Latin Pratum which refers to flat or level ground or a meadow. In our present day, with decreased attention to natural topographic features and geography in general, the difference between a meadow and a clearing in the woods is not nearly as significant as it was in the past. Or medieval ancestors called a pasture kept for the purpose of mowing hay a meadow. Pratt, as a name, may have originated with an ancestor that owned or lived by such a meadow.

Down through the centuries many persons bearing the name Pratt have distinguished themselves. Below is a list of just a few of these notable persons.

Sir Charles Pratt, (1714-1794). The 1st Baron and 1st Earl of Camden. He was born in Devonshire England. Pratt became a close friend of William Pitt while the two were students at Eton and Pitt contributed greatly to Pratt's professional and political advancement. Sir Charles Pratt served as Attorney-General to the King George III when he was still Prince of Wales, then was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. In that capacity he refused to enforce general warrants that were issued without naming a particular individual to be arrested. In 1763, he opposed the legality of the ruling in Entick v. Carrington, which resulted in the prosecution of John Wilkes, and granted Wilkes a writ of habeas corpus. Wilkes had called a speech of King George III's a lie and had been arrested under a general warrant for sedition. This case, which became known as the “Wilkes Case” became the basis for the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Sir Charles was presented with the Freedom of the City of Exeter in 1764 for his “unbiased integrity” in the Wilkes Case.

In 1765 Pratt was named Baron Camden, and in 1786 became Earl Camden. In 1766, Sir Charles supported Pitt's efforts against the Stamp Act in the House of Lords, as well as opposing the Declaratory Act. After Pitt became ill, Pratt stood alone in the fight against taxation of the colonies. In 1775, Pratt spoke in favor of Pitt's “Provisional Act" to reconcile with the colonies, going even further to suggest that Parliament had no constitutional right to tax the colonies. He is quoted as saying, “It is impossible that this petty island can continue in dependence that mighty continent, increasing daily in numbers and strength”. He also introduced a bill to repeal the Quebec Act of 1774, and, after 1775, he strongly opposed the American War. Camden county in Georgia, Missouri, and Virginia and the city and county of Camden New Jersey are all named in his honor.

Sir John Jeffreys Pratt, (1759-1840). The 2nd Earl and 1st Marquess Camden. The son of the 1st Earl of Camden, Sir John Pratt served as lord lieutenant of Ireland from 1794 - 1798 his repressive policies became a major factor in the outbreak of the 1798 revolution. He later served as secretary of war from 1804 - 1805 and president of the council from 1805 through 1812. He was created marquess in 1812.

Orson Pratt, (1811-1881). He and his brother Parley P. Pratt were early converts to the Mormon Church. He became a missionary and one of the first Apostles of the church. After the death of Joseph Smith he supported Brigham Young. He was with young on the trek to the Salt Lake Valley, in 1847 and was one of the first to enter it. He divided the book of Mormon into chapters and verses in 1879.

Philip W. Pratt, (xxxx-xxxx). Philip Pratt invented and patented the first automatic sprinkler system for fire prevention in1872.

Charles Pratt, (1830-1899). He was born in the town of Watertown Massachusetts as one of eleven children. His father was a carpenter. He managed to scrape a few dollars together and spend three winters as a student at Wesleyan Academy, and is said to have lived on a dollar a week at times. In Boston, he joined a company specializing in paints and whale oil products. When he came to New York, he worked for a similar company and expanded the interest to Astral Oil. When the company split, Charles Pratt owned the oil business, which became Charles Pratt & Company, the most successful such company in Brooklyn. He later sold the business to John D. Rockefeller and became an executive in the Standard Oil Company.

Charles Pratt's fortunes increased and he became a leading figure in Brooklyn, serving his community and his profession. A philanthropist and visionary, he supported many of Brooklyn's major institutions including the Adelphi Academy and the building of Emmanuel Baptist Church. Charles Pratt regretted that he had not completed his formal education and dreamed of founded an institute where students could learn trades by practical experience. Charles Pratt founded the Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, for training skilled artisans and draftsmen in 1896. He also established the Pratt Institute Free Library, the first free public library in Brooklyn, New York.

William Veazie Pratt, (1869-1957). He was born in Belfast Maine. Later he graduated from the United States Naval Academy. He was the assistant Chief of Naval Operations from 1917 to 1919. He was appointed president of the Naval War College in 1925. In 1925 he was promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1927. At the start of the depression, in 1929, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. fleet. From September 17, 1930 to June 30, 1933 he served as the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), the highest military office in the navy. At the completion of his term as CNO he retired. He requested to return to active duty after the attack on Pearl Harbor but was turned down due to his age. The destroyer William V. Pratt (DDG 44) was named in his honor.