This famous personal and later surname, is of pre 5th century German origins. Recorded in over one hundred different spellings ranging from Barnard, Benard, and Bernat, to Bernth, Bernucci, and Bieratowicz, it derives from the male personal name "Bernhard or Beornheard", comprising the elements "bern", meaning the bear, plus "hard", meaning brave, strong or hardy. Perhaps not surprisingly given the meaning of "Hardy bear" the name was always popular. The surname was first recorded in England in the 12th century.
Here records were kept much earlier than was usual in other European countries, and England was the first country to adopt hereditary surnames as we know them today. The initial popularity of the name was also given a boost by the fame of two early saints. These were St. Bernard of Clairvaux (circa 1010 - 1153), the founder of the Cistercian monastery at Clairvaux, and St. Bernard of Menthon (923 - 1108), the founder of Alpine hospices and patron saint of mountaineers. Early examples of the surname recording include Thomas Bernhard of Cambridge, England, in the year 1260, Albertus Berenhardus of Schwenningen, Germany, in 1290, and Gregorius Bernhardt, christened at Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany, on January 18th 1549. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Hugo Bernard, which was dated 1130, in the "Pipe Rolls" of the city of Lincoln, England. This was during the reign of King Henry 1st, known as "The Lion of Justice", 1100 - 1135. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Discovering the historical origins of Betz is an incredibly exciting journey that takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who built this lineage. Like most surnames, the history of the surname Betz is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Betz, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Betz, their origin, their coat of arms, the bibliography in which it appears... It is possible to trace their genealogy and, in addition to the original places of Betz, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Betz today.
View complete list of Betz in the world
The history of Betz is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Betz throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Betz. Their feats, their way of life, the places they lived, their family relationships, the jobs they held... All of this is crucial for anyone who, like you, is interested in having more information about the historical, heraldic, coat of arms, and nobility of the surname Betz. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Betz. However, if you have more information that you would like to share, we would greatly appreciate your contribution to expand the knowledge of people who, like you, are looking to increase their knowledge about the surname Betz.
Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Betz than the one we have provided with pleasure. We invite those who visit us on this website to analyze the recommended bibliography and to come back often, since we often receive valuable collaborations from other people interested in the origin and history of surnames that could have information of special interest about the surname Betz, and that we would update on this website as soon as possible (after a previous verification). Similarly, if you consider yourself one of those people, we urge you to support us and send us the information about Betz that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.
There have probably been some significant Betz throughout the history of humanity, even if, for some reason, not all of their contributions were included in the chronicles of the time or their data has not come down to the present day. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions of people who have carried the surname Betz were taken into account at the time by the chroniclers of the time. Although a surname has the ability to link a person to a famous lineage and a glorious coat of arms, it is individuals who, throughout their lives and by virtue of some outstanding or important achievements for the society in which they lived, give their surnames renown and it is possible to establish prominent lineages. For this reason, we want to highlight on this website those people with the surname Betz who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.
Based on all the research we have been able to gather so far, we can say that there is information available about the history, genealogy, and heraldry of the surname Betz thanks to bibliographic sources. This means that we can discover more about its original meaning, origin, history, coat of arms, and heraldry. Our recommendation is to consult the following sources if you want to conduct research on the surname Betz, as well as many other surnames:
These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Betz, and of surnames in general.