Lodewyk was born in 1688 and his baptism took place on September 5th, 1688. Lodewyk's father was Joannes Pretorius and his mother was Johanna Victor. He had two brothers and two sisters, named Johannes, Willem, Jeanetta and Josina. He had a half-brother named Wessel. He died before April 14th, 1718 in Stellenbosch.