Praetorius, Prätorius, Prætorius was the name of several musicians and scholars in Germany.
In 16th and 17th century Germany it became a fashion for educated people named "Schulze," "Schultheiß," or "Richter" (which means "judge"), to Latinise their names as "Praetorius," referring to a former official position called "Praetor urbanus."
Anton Praetorius (1560–1613), pastor, fighter against the persecution of witches and against tortureBartholomaeus Praetorius (c.1590–1623), composer and cornettistChristoph Praetorius (died 1609), composer, and uncle of MichaelFranz Praetorius (1847–1927), semitist and HebraistHieronymus Praetorius (1560–1629), composer and organistJacob Praetorius (c.1530–1586), composer and organist, and father of HieronymusJacob Praetorius (1586–1651), composer, organist and teacher, and son of HieronymusJohannes Praetorius (1537–1616), mathematician and astronomerJohannes Praetorius (musician) (1595–1660), organist and composer; son of Hieronymus and brother of JacobJohannes Praetorius (writer) (1630–1680), writer and polymath, real name Hans SchultzeMatthäus Prätorius (1635–1704), pastor, priest, historian, ethnographerMichael Praetorius (c.1571–1621), composer ("Terpsichore"), music theorist, and organistStephan Praetorius (1536–1603), theologian