Pretorius is a common

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans g ...

surname. Recorded in several forms (including ''Praetor'', ''Praetorius'', ''Pratorius'', ''Pretorius'', (German), and in English ''Preater'', ''Preter'' and ''Pretor''), Pretorius is a surname of Germanic origins, although the ultimate origin is the Roman (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

) word "praetor". This literally meant "leader", but was used in Imperial Rome to describe officials who led processions, as well as the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort f ...

, who provided the security for the Senate and the Imperial Roman family. Although apparently first recorded in England several centuries before Germany, which is probably because of lost medieval records, it is rare in England, although now found in some numbers in Austria, Switzerland and South Africa.

People with the surname Pretorius

André Pretorius André Stefan Pretorius (born 29 December 1978 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a former South African rugby union footballer that played professionally between 1999 and 2014. His usual position was at fly-half. He has been capped by his count ...

, South African rugby player *

Andries Pretorius Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (27 November 179823 July 1853) was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the South African Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa ...

(1798–1853), Boer leader * Andries Pretorius (rugby player), South African rugby player * Karla Pretorius (1990-) South African and international netballer *

Conway Pretorius Conway Pretorius (born 4 July 1992 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player for in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is number eight. Career Youth Pretorius was born in Pretoria, but gr ...

, South African rugby player * Dewald Pretorius, South African cricketer *

Dewald Pretorius (rugby union) Dawid Petrus 'Dewald' Pretorius (born 29 November 1986) is a South African rugby union footballer. He plays mostly as a centre or wing. He most recently represented the in the Currie Cup, having previously played for the , , and . He was a m ...

, South African rugby player * Dwaine Pretorius, South African cricketer *

Frans Pretorius Frans Pretorius (born 31 July 1973) is a South African and Canadian physicist, specializing in computer simulations in astrophysics and numerical solutions of Einstein's field equations. He is professor of physics at Princeton University and direct ...

, South African-born, Canadian physicist *

Giovanni Pretorius Giovanni Pretorius (1 January 1972 – 23 August 2021) was a South African Olympic boxer. Biography He represented his country in the welterweight division at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He lost his first bout against Sören Antman. Pretorious ...

(1972–2021), South African Olympic boxer *

Hattingh Pretorius Lieutenant General Hattingh Pretorius (1942–2008) was a South African military commander, who held the post of Chief of the South African Army November 1, 1993December 31, 1994. Awards and decorations * * * * * * * * * See also ...

, South African military commander *

Jackie Pretorius Jacobus "Jackie" Pretorius (22 November 1934 – 30 March 2009) was a racing driver from South Africa. He participated in four Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 January 1965, and scoring no championship points. Pretorius ...

, racecar driver *

Jaco Pretorius Jaco Pretorius (born 10 December 1979) is a retired South African rugby union outside centre. Biography Pretorius was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1979. He began playing for the Lions in 2001 and served as the Springboks Sevens capta ...

, South African rugby player *

Johan Pretorius The Boeremag (, "Boer Force") is the name by which a group of men convicted of treason in South Africa is commonly known. The South African government described them as a South African right-wing terrorist organization with white separatist a ...

, South African separatist * Kosie Pretorius, Namibian politician *

Marianne Pretorius Marianne Schwankhart (born 2 September 1976) is a South African rock climber, specialising in big walls. In 2004 she became the first woman to scale the East face of the Central Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. In February 2005 she climbe ...

, South African rock climber *

Mark Pretorius Mark Pretorius (born 30 April in Johannesburg, South Africa) is an evangelical theologian, philosopher and metaphysician. He holds the following degrees: a BTh (South African Theological Seminary), a BTh Hons (University of Zululand), an M.A. in ...

, South African theologian and philosopher * Mark Pretorius (rugby union), South African rugby player *

Marthinus Wessel Pretorius Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (17 September 1819 – 19 May 1901) was a South African political leader. An Afrikaner (or "Boer"), he helped establish the South African Republic (''Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek'' or ZAR; also referred to as Transva ...

first president of the South African Republic (often known as the Transvaal Republic) and son of Andries * Nico Pretorius, South African rugby player * Ryan Pretorius, American football place kicker from South Africa *

Sarel Pretorius Sarel Johannes Pretorius (born 18 April 1984) is a South African rugby player who plays at scrum half for the in the Pro14. During 2007–2011 he played in the Currie Cup for Griquas and made his Super Rugby debut for the in 2009 against the ...

, South African rugby player * Spanner Pretorius, South African rugby player *

Trompie Pretorius Jerome "Trompie" Pretorius (born 22 March 1988) is a South African rugby union player who last played for the in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. Pretorius regularly plays as a centre and has previously represented the , and . In 2 ...

, South African rugby player

Fictional Characters

Doctor Septimus Pretorius Septimus Pretorius is a fictional character who appears in the Universal film ''Bride of Frankenstein'' (1935). He is played by British stage and film actor Ernest Thesiger. Some sources claim he was originally to have been played by Bela Lugosi or ...

, fictional mad scientist in ''Bride of Frankenstein'' *Edward Pretorius, fictional scientist and main antagonist in the horror film '' From Beyond''

References

{{given name Afrikaans-language surnames