There were prōtonotarioi of the imperial notarioi (secretaries of the court), of the various sekreta or logothesia (government ministries), as well as for each thema or province.
[1] The latter appeared in the early 9th century and functioned as the chief civil officials of the province, directly below the governing general (stratēgos).
The office vanished after the 11th and 12th centuries, along with the themata and the logothesia, although there are traces of a single prōtonotarios functioning as the emperor's chief secretary until the Palaiologan period.
These high papal officials are the highest class of Monsignor, are often raised directly to the cardinalate, and hold distinctive privileges in address and attire.
Current practice is based on Pope Paul VI's two motu proprios, Pontificalis Domus of March 28, 1968 and Pontificalia Insignia of June 21, 1968.
The chief clerks of the supreme courts of the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria are titled "prothonotary."
The prothonotary of the Victorian Supreme Court has responsibility for all administrative tasks of the trial division registry.
Under the Supreme Court Act 1986 (Vic), and the accompanying rules, the prothonotary also has some quasi-judicial powers including taxation of costs, conducting mediations, prosecuting contempt and administering bail.
He was tasked with recording and certifying minutes of the Sabor, drawing up and certifying decisions of the courts of the Ban of Croatia, lead the Croatian delegation to the Diet of Hungary, safekeeping of documents, as well as safekeeping of the seal of the Ban of Croatia and the seal of state.
[9] The chief clerk and head of the administrative division of the Bombay High Court is known as the Prothonotary and Senior Master.