Brice R. and Mary Kathryn
Hollis Prather Family

Origin of the PRATER Surname

"Both the PRATER and the REAVES names mean essentially the same thing in that they belong to men of authority. They may not always have been the top man in a manor, but they were certainly close to it. The Latin word praetor meant 'an assistant', while reeve meant 'a trusted servant.'"

"PRATER, PRAETER, and PRETOR have a Latin root praetor. In 1150, there was a Willelmus Pretor. He was known as either a reeve or a sheriff, because that is the job he held, but PRETER, or one of its variations, was the name given to him and his family."

The FAMILY coat-of-arms may not be easily found in picture form at your library, mainly because it was not verified by the College of Heraldy until the 1960's (the College of Heraldy continues to verify coats-of-arms from their vast files that date back to the 400's).

What you will be able to find is the Ulster of Arms description of our family coat-of-arms:

SABLE, THREE WOLVES' HEADS, ERASED, ARGENT. ON A CHIEF OR, LION PASSANT OF THE FIRST. CREST: A PEGASUS COURANT, SABLE, DUCALLY GORGED OR

This is found in several Armorial publications, but you will probably have a copy of it in your library under "Burke's" "General Armory of England", ulster. Look under the spelling PRATER, OF EATON WATER, WILTS.

The family coat-of-arms was also verified by other family researchers, Mr. Stout Lillard, Member of the Library of Congress, Washington D.C. and again by Mrs. Francis C. Culver, Historical Registrar of the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, MD. It was also verified by Gary Benton Prather, a family historian, with the College of Heraldy, and files at Somerset House records office in London, England (1986). And again, Gary witnessing the Arms carved in stone on the tomb of Richard Prater of Nunney, Somerset England ----- and the tomb of Judith Ivye Prater at West Kingston, Wiltshire. It was also registered by Bishop of Wilton in the General Survey of Wiltshire before 1564 at Latton Manor, Wiltshire -- the Armorial barings of George Prater "Esquire" of Latton Manor, Wiltshire.

Jonathan Prather (1630 to 1680) registered the Prater Coat-of-Arms with the College of Heraldry in Baltimore, Maryland in 1650 (then an English Colony), stating "Descendant of a long and Noble family of Latton, Wilts". Thus, the Prater Coat-of-Arms was to include his descendants which used the Prater / Prather name (including other spellings).

The CREST is also registered in "Fairbairn's Crest" by: James Fairbairn, Seal Engraver in Ordinary to the Queen of Scotland. The following will help you understand the meaning of the terms used in the description.

SABLE, THREE WOLVES' HEADS, ERASED, ARGENT. ON A CHIEF OR, LION PASSANT OF THE FIRST. CREST: A PEGASUS COURANT, SABLE, DUCALLY GORGED OR