Pat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Pat

The name Pat is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name for Patrick. In the religious naming tradition the Pat surname was bestowed in honor of a religious figure. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Middle English word "pate" which meant "head" or "skull". In this latter case, the name would have been a nickname.

Early Origins of the Pat family

Early History of the Pat family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pat research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1528, 1533, 1557, 1565, 1585, 1588, 1652, 1666, 1688, 1734 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Pat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pat Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Pat include Pate, Pait, Pat, Patt and others.

Early Notables of the Pat family

Notables of the family at this time include

• Richard Pate (1516-1588), English founder of the Cheltenham grammar school, commonly described as of Minsterworth, Gloucestershire. Pate died on 28 Oct. 1588, in his seventy-third year, and was buried...
• Richard Pate or Pates (d. 1565), was an English prelate, Bishop of Worcester, son of John Pate of Oxfordshire. In November 1533 Pate was appointed to be the king's ambassador resident in the court of...
• William Pate (1666-1746), 'the learned woollen-draper,' was son of William Pate and sheriif of Oxford in 1734. He was a direct lineal descendant from John Pate (b. 1557) of Brin in Essex, the great-un...

Migration of the Pat family to Ireland

Some of the Pat family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pat family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Richard Pate, who settled in Virginia in 1636; as did William Pate in 1637; John Pate in 1651; Henry and Catherine Pate in 1656; and Elizabeth Pate in 1663..