Prats

Prats is a Catalan toponym and surname. In Catalan, the word prat means meadow, and prats is the plural form, typically referring to grassy fields or pasturelands. As a place name and surname, the term reflects historical association with agricultural land and rural landscapes.

The surname Prats is of Catalan origin and is found in Catalonia and other Catalan-speaking regions, as well as in areas with Catalan diaspora. It is typically toponymic, indicating that an ancestor came from a place named Prats or lived near meadows. The name has also spread to other parts of Spain, France (notably in regions near the Pyrenees), and the Americas through migration.

Geographically, several places in Catalonia incorporate Prats in their names. El Prat de Llobregat is a municipality near Barcelona and is home to the Barcelona–El Prat Airport. Prats de Lluçanès lies in the Osona comarca, and Prats de Molló (Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste) is located near the French border in the Pyrenees-Orientales. These toponyms reflect the common landscape feature described by the root word prat.

In use, Prats functions both as a surname and as part of place names. People with the surname Prats have appeared in various public roles, including politics, culture, and sports, particularly within Catalan-speaking communities. The name remains most strongly associated with Catalan linguistic and regional heritage.