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 gra ...

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 of the ...

) 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 fo ...

, 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) Andries Pretorius (born 26 September 1985) is a former Wales international rugby union player who played for Cardiff Blues in the Pro14, Pro12 league and Worcester Warriors in the RFU Championship. He played at Number 8 (rugby union), number 8, ...

, South African rugby player *

Karla Pretorius Karla Pretorius (née Mostert; born 12 March 1990) is a South African netball player, currently playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning and the South Africa SPAR Proteas Netball. She plays in the positions of Goal Defence (GD) and Wing Defence ...

(1990-) South African and international netballer * Conway Pretorius, South African rugby player *

Dewald Pretorius Dewald Pretorius (born 6 December 1977) is a South African cricketer. He is a right-arm fast bowler who debuted for the South Africa national cricket team in the second Test against Australia during the 2001/2002 series. He has not featured reg ...

, 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 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 from ...

, 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 (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, South African rugby player * Johan Pretorius, 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, 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 Afrikaner (or "Boer"), he helped establish the South African Republic (''Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek'' or ZAR; also referred to as Transv ...

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 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 Sta ...

, 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