Defratis Family History & Genealogy

Summary

DeFratis is a surname of French origin, with a presence in the United States dating back to the early 19th century. The family has since spread across the country. As a hub page for user-contributed information about the Defratis (or Defrates, Defraitis, DeFratis and de Fratis as it is sometimes written) family, there is still much to learn about the Defratis family prior to its appearance in France.

History

The DeFratis family immigrated from France to the United States in the eary to mid-1800s, some members being present to fight in the Civil War, others arriving later as suggested by "Parents' Country of Origin" on U.S. Census records.
DeFratis' have since lived across the United States. In the late 19th century, most of them lived in Wyoming, Nebraska or Illinois (with at least one member fighting in the Spanish-American War in 1898.) The 20th century saw them live primarily in Ohio, with branches in Florida and Louisiana.
Since arriving in the United States, the DeFratis family has often married into families of Bohemian (Czech) heritage. DeFratis is a surname of French origin, with a presence in the United States dating back to the early 19th century. The family has since spread across the country. As a hub page for user-contributed information about the Defratis (or Defrates, Defraitis, DeFratis and de Fratis as it is sometimes written) family, there is still much to learn about the Defratis family prior to its appearance in France.

Name Origin

While the true original meaning of the name has yet to be confirmed, the leading suggestion is that it is of French origin for "of the Euphrates river" perhaps suggesting further ancestry from the Middle East.
Another possibility suggests some relation to the word "Frater" or brother in 13th century Latin, that had influence over a number of European languages.

Spellings & Pronunciations

The preferred method of spelling in the United States is "DeFratis" with a capital F, though variations include Defratis, Defrates, Defraitis, and de Fratis.

Nationality & Ethnicity

The DeFratis family originates from France, where the structure of the name suggests they were part of the nobility.
Sometime in the early 1800s, members of the DeFratis family lived on the island of Madeira under Portugese rule at the time before moving to the United States.

Famous People named Defratis

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Early Defratises

These are the earliest records we have of the Defratis family.