This name with variant spellings, Crat, Crater, Cratere and Krate is an occupational name of German origin for one who makes crates or baskets. It derives from the Low German "kreit" meaning "crate" for carrying various commodities including crockery, glass or fruit. The earliest forms of the word "creat" and "crade" meaning "crate" were introduced with imports of goods from Holland as variants of the Low German. The surname was first recorded in the early 17th Century (see below). One Hieronymus Crateman married Anna Liseb. Sandtmas on February 26th 1663 in Gohfeld, Westphalen, Germany. On September 16th 1701 in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, Mary Crate married David Givert. One Abraham Crate was christened on February 27th 1708 in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mary Cratte (christening), which was dated November 1620, St. Martin-Vintry, London, during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603-1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.