"ragged child, person dressed in old clothes," c. 1600, probably from tatter (n.), with fantastic second element, but perhaps also suggested by Tartar, with a contemporary sense of "vagabond, gypsy."
a tatterdemalion prince
ta-ta
tatami
Tatar
tater
tatter
tatterdemalion
tattered
tattersall
tatting
tattle
tattletale