Pruitt Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Pruitt last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Pruitt last name
Meaning of the Pruitt last name: little valiant one. Pruitt is a surname from Old French prou, "valiant, brave", with a diminutive ending, meaning "little valiant one", a nickname brought to England by the Normans. A curious detail: the spellings Pruitt, Prewitt and Pruett are now far more common in the United States than in England, after an early Virginia settler's family spread the last name through Kentucky, Tennessee and the South.
Arms associated with the Pruitt name
In English heraldry gold stood for generosity and blue for loyalty, and coats of arms associated with the Pruitt name speak that old language of colour.
Get your full Pruitt family history
This is only a glimpse of the Pruitt story. The full Pruitt history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Pruitt coat of arms. Get the full Pruitt report.
Pruitt name FAQ
What does the Pruitt name mean?
Little valiant one. Common variants include Prewitt, Pruett, Prewett.
Where does the Pruitt surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Pruitt coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Pruitt coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).