Pletter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Pletter

What does the name Pletter mean?

The German state of Prussia, which reached the zenith of its power in the late 19th century, is the glorious birthplace of the distinguished surname Pletter. In the medieval era, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the German lands were inhabited by a variety of barbarian tribes. The borders of the barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known in Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The colorful history of Brandenburg-Prussia, provides a glimpse at the oldest origins of the Pletter family.

Early Origins of the Pletter family

The surname Pletter was first found in Brandenburg, where the name was an integral part of a feudal society which would shape modern European history. Many prominent branches of the family would strive to make this name renowned as they contributed to the social, economic and political affairs of the region. Chronicles claim two different origins for this name. Some sources suggest that the origin is found in the mediaeval German word for the maker of breast plates for armor. This explanation is supported by the knight Otto cum Plata ("breast plate",) who lived at Ruegen around 1255. Other sources claim the name stems from the German word for "plateau." The famous Swiss humanist, Thomas Platter (1499-1582) wrote that "The Platters took their name from a house built upon a broad cliff edge."

Early History of the Pletter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pletter research. Another 269 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1536, 1563, 1565, 1574, 1604, 1614, 1628, 1669, 1796 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Pletter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pletter Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Pletter include Plathner, Plath, Plathe, Plather, Plate, Plat, Plater, Platt, Platter, Platten, Platen, Platener, Platner, Plattener, Pletener, Plettener, Plaettner, Plaetner, Plaeth, Plett, Pletter, Pletten, Pleten, Pleter, Plettner, Blate, Blatte, Blatten and many more.

Early Notables of the Pletter family

Notable figures of the time with the name Pletter were Thomas Platter, who was a prominent humanist from Basel. He began as an Alpine goatherd, then journeyed through Germany on foot and became a printer...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pletter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pletter migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Pletters to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Pletter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Pletter, (1715-1755), who landed in Georgia in 1736 aboard the ship "London Merchant" 1
John Pletter, who arrived in Georgia in 1738 1

Sources +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)