Surname Rattrie - Meaning and Origin

Rattrie: What does the surname Rattrie mean?

The last name Rattrie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old Gaelic personal name Raithbheartach, composed of the elements "rath," which means prosperity or grace, and "beartach", which means cunning or artful. Hence, the surname is often interpreted to mean a prosperous or fortunate person who is crafty or cunning. It's important to note that surnames often evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics. Therefore, the exact meaning can sometimes be subjective or evolve over time. The surname Rattrie is concentrated primarily in Scotland but is also found among Scottish diaspora around the world. As such, the name is often associated with Scottish heritage and culture.

Rattrie: Where does the name Rattrie come from?

The last name Rattrie is associated mainly with the United Kingdom and also Canada. In the UK, this surname is most commonly found in Scotland, especially in counties such as Ayrshire, Roxburghshire, and Dumfries, although there are some reports of it being found further south in places such as England's East Midlands, North East, and North West. In Canada, it is most commonly known to be found in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, although there are rare cases outside of these regions.

The name Rattrie can be traced back to the 12th century, when a Richard Rattrie, or Rait de Ratry in Norman French, is recorded in the Rent Rolls of Ayrshire. This Richard's children are believed to have kept the variant Rattrie as their last name. By 1901, more than 200 Rattries were recorded in Ayrshire, Roxburghshire, and Dumfries, and the name was likely even more common in the country at the time.

The family may have first come to Canada in the late 18th century, although it was only in the 19th century when a substantial number of Rattries immigrated to Canada and settled predominantly in the Prairie Provinces. By 1967, there were more than 250 Rattries recorded in Canada, mainly in the 3 provinces mentioned earlier.

Today, the Rattrie name is still fairly common in Scotland and Canada, although its frequency has decreased. It remains a reminder of Scotland's distant past, especially when it comes to the role of medieval lairds and landowning families such as the Rattrie clan.

Variations of the surname Rattrie

The surname Rattrie is believed to have two primary origins: Scottish and French. The Scottish origin of the name can be traced back to the region of Ratterie in Dunbartonshire and the early spelling of Ratrie; this region is now known as Innellan.

In Scotland, the name Rattrie is derived from a combination of two ancient Celtic languages; Old Gaelic ‘rat’ (“a clearing in a wood”) and Old Welsh ‘tre’ (“hamlet”).

The French origin of the name is believed to be rooted in medieval French ‘ratier’ (“a rabbit-hunter” or “sterile land”).

Variants of the surname Rattrie include Rattray, Ratray, Rotter, Russell and Roussel. All of these variants are believed to originate from the same source, the Rattrie surname.

Spellings of the name depending on the area, dialect and time period include Rattrie, Ratrie, Rawtrowe, Ratterie, Ratiere, Ratry, Rotter, Rotteray, Ratrye, Rattray, Rattraye and Ratraye.

Common surnames of similar origin include Ratter, Ratterree, Rotter, Rotteray and Roussel.

Since the spelling of the surname Rattrie and its variants has changed over time, it is important to research any possible spellings when tracing family genealogy.

Famous people with the name Rattrie

• Jeff Rattrie: a jazz guitarist.
• David Rattrie: a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Matt Rattrie: an American television/film actor.
• Donna Rattrie: a Broadway actress.
• James Rattrie: a British architect.
• Harry Rattrie: a British architect and designer.
• Alan Rattrie: a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh.
• William Rattrie: the presenter of The Empress on the BBC.
• Doug Rattrie: a professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
• Stephen Rattrie: an award-winning sportswriter.

Other surnames

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