Pretorius is a common

Afrikaans Afrikaans is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language spoken in South Africa, Namibia and to a lesser extent Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Argentina where there is a group in Sarmiento, Chubut, Sarmiento that speaks the Pat ...

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 languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

) 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 language, Latin: ''cohortes praetoriae'') was the imperial guard of the Imperial Roman army that served various roles for the Roman emperor including being a bodyguard unit, counterintelligence, crowd control and ga ...

, 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 Karla Pretorius (née Mostert; born 12 March 1990) is a South African netball player, and has represented her country with the South Africa national netball team. She plays in the positions of Goal Defence (GD) and Wing Defence (WD). She previo ...

(1990-) South African and international netballer * Dewald Pretorius, South African cricketer * Dewald Pretorius (rugby union), South African rugby player *

Dwaine Pretorius Dwaine Pretorius (born 29 March 1989) is a former South African international cricketer who currently plays in various T20 leagues around the globe and for North West in domestic cricket as a bowling all-rounder. He announced his retirement fro ...

, South African cricketer * Frans Pretorius, South African-born, Canadian physicist * Fransjohan Pretorius (1949), South African historian of the Second Boer War (1899–1902) * Giovanni Pretorius (1972–2021), South African Olympic boxer * Hattingh Pretorius, 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, South African rugby player * Johan Pretorius, South African separatist *

Kosie Pretorius Jacobus Willem Francois Pretorius, commonly known as Kosie Pretorius (5 September 1935 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 climb ...

, 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. ...

, South African theologian and philosopher *

Mark Pretorius (rugby union) Mark Pretorius (born 9 June 1992 in Nelspruit) is a South African rugby union player who most recently played for the . His regular position is hooker. Career Youth and Varsity rugby Pretorius appeared for the at several youth tournaments, ...

, South African rugby player *

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

first president of the South African Republic (often known as the Transvaal Republic) and son of Andries *

Nico Pretorius Nicolaas Pretorius (born 29 February 1984) is a South African professional rugby union player, who most recently played with the . His regular position is prop. Career Blue Bulls He played for the at various youth levels, playing for them at ...

, South African rugby player *

Ryan Pretorius Ryan Pretorius (born 2 May 1979) is a South African former rugby union player and American football place kicker with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was raised in Durban, South Africa, and played rugby union professionally before attending Ohio St ...

, 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 th ...

, South African rugby player *

Spanner Pretorius Johannes Hendrik "Spanner" Pretorius (born 22 October 1987) is a South African rugby union player, who most recently played for . His regular position is loose-forward. Career He played for Potchefstroom-based university side in the 2011 and 2 ...

, 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 ...

, South African rugby player

Fictional Characters

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

, 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

People with the surname Pretorius

Fictional Characters

See also

References