Bertran Surname HistoryThe majestic country of France is the ancestral homeland to the prominent surname Bertran. The surname Bertran is derived from the personal name of an ancestor, making this a patronymic surname, which belongs to the larger category of hereditary surnames. Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Vernacular names that were derived from ancient Germanic personal names have cognates in most European languages. For example, the court of Charlemagne (742-814) was Christian and Latin-speaking, but the Frankish dialect of Old German was commonly used for personal names. Vernacular names were widespread throughout Normandy. Accordingly, many typical English and French names are in fact, originally of Germanic origin. In some cases the exact same name appears in many other European countries. The given name Bertrand is derived from the Old German name Berhthramn, which meant "bright raven." This was a popular name due to the raven's symbolic which means as "one who defeats his enemies". Early Origins of the Bertran familyThe surname Bertran was first found in Provence, where one of the first records of the name was William Bertrand (died 1094), known as William V or Bertrand I or II, count and margrave of Provence from 1051 until his death. Guillaume Bertrand, Lord of Vénasque is recorded in the archives in 1275 and Cardinal Bertrand is mentioned in 1275 and in 1378. Descending from the original line of Provence, this ancient family branched out to Roussillon in 1510 where they were well known as the Bertran of Palmarolle. For their involvement in the events of the 1600's many courageous members were listed in the Armorial of 1696 from the regions of Provence. Specifically mentioned in the Armorial were the Honourables Joseph Dominique Bertrand in Aix, Antoine Bertrand in Grasse and Maxime Bertrand in Roumoule. In 1703 this eminent family received its letters patent and heraldic cap, thus confirming their noble descent, the nobility of living members, and that of their descendants in 1703. Jean Bertrand, born in 1667, was a French labourer that travelled to Canada in the 17th century, along with his wife, Renée Boucherot. He worked as a sailor for three years on "Le Breton" of Quebec. Jean and Renée had one son and he became a farmer in Charlesbourg, Quebec. 1 Early History of the Bertran familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bertran research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1535 and 1581 are included under the topic Early Bertran History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bertran Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Bertrand, Bertran, Bertrant, Bertranc, Bertrent, Bairtrand, Bairtran, Bhairtrand and many more. Early Notables of the Bertran familyNotable amongst the names at this time was
Bertran RankingIn France, the name Bertran is the 7,117th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Bertran Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
Bertran Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
|