Whats the history or origin of the last name phetis?

Question

or..

is it more haitian than asian??

Answer 1

I don't know about Haitian or Asian, but I think this last name has a Greek origin, latter Latinized by Romans.

I have studied linguistics, and the word "Prophet" comes from "Pro Phet", which means  "he who speaks first" (Pro: first; Phet: he speaks). From there, it has changed into several forms because of grammar, time and Romance languages.

The plural dative case ending in Latin is "-is", so, to express in Latin "he who speaks to them" or "he who gives speech to them", Phet changes into Phetis.

Another way Phetis could have arrived to modern times is though the feminization of Pro-phet. In many romance languages, the ending "-ess" and alike would be added at the end to indicate that the person who speaks is a woman (like in the case of actress), so "Phet" turns into "Phetess", and eventually into "Phetis".

The word Pro-Phetis can be found in some Medieval chantes and operas.

Answer 2

This is one verse taken from : A Ryght Profytable Treatyse Compendiously Drawen Out Of Many and Dyvers Wrytynges Of Holy Men, by Thomas Betson - Printed in Caxton's house

              by Wynkyn de Worde about 1500.

Gaude ventre [pro]secrat[us]

O baptista mire natus

Sacer degens seculo

Patriarchis sociatus

Et [pro]phetis. vite flatus

Fac finire iubilo

http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/...