Bette History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The generations and branches of the Bette family share a name that has its roots in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name Bette comes from one of a number of personal names. The surname Bette is usually explained as a metronymic derivative of the female personal name Beatrice, or less often, Elizabeth. 1

However, the name is undoubtedly occasionally derived from the male personal name Bartholomew, which also took the variant forms Bertram or Bertelmew. The surname Bette may also be a "local" type surname which means a dweller by the hollows.

Early Origins of the Bette family

The surname Bette was first found in Norfolk, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

"One of the principal stocks of the old and characteristic Norfolk name of Betts included the family that possessed, in the 15th and 16th centuries, the manors of Hastings Hall and Whitefoot in Irmingland. This name is also well represented in Lincolnshire, where it usually takes the form of Bett; it is also present, though less numerous, in the other east coast counties of Suffolk and Kent." 2

Early History of the Bette family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bette research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1379, 1480, 1500, 1570, 1576, 1581, 1590, 1642, 1643, 1646, 1647, 1695, 1743, 1770, 1905 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Bette History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bette Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bette include Betts, Bets, Bettes, Bett, Bette and others.

Early Notables of the Bette family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Bettes (d. 1570?), an English miniature painter, commonly stated to have been a pupil of Nicholas Hilliard. "Bettes painted a miniature in oils of Queen Elizabeth, which is said to have been high...

Bette migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bette or a variant listed above:

Bette Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Bette, who landed in Maryland in 1642 3
William Bette, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 3
Henry Bette, who landed in Virginia in 1660 3
Judith Bette, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 3
Thomas Bette, who landed in Virginia in 1666 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bette Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Friedricke Bette, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1846 3
Deserei Bette, aged 32, who arrived in New York in 1849 3
In Pre Bette, aged 34, who landed in New York in 1849 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Bette (post 1700) +

C. Bette Wimbish, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Florida 8th District, 1988 4
Bette Rogge (1922-2015), (married name Bette Morse) was an American radio and television host
Bette McLaurin (b. 1929), American singer, best known for her recordings, "I May Hate Myself In The Morning" (1952) and "Only A Rose" (1953)
Bette Weickum, American author of "National Register of Historic Places Registration: The Lett Hotel / The Tumbleweed Hotel / 5YM85" (1989)
Bette Howland (1937-2017), born Bette Lee Sotonoff, an American writer for Commentary Magazine and literary critic
Bette Claire Nesmith Graham (1924-1980), née McMurray, an American typist, commercial artist, and the inventor of Liquid Paper in 1951, mother of musician and producer Michael Nesmith of The Monkees
Bette Joy Senese Philbin (b. 1941), American television personality, wife of Regis Philbin
Bette Greene (1934-1974), American author, best known for her Newbery Honor book Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe (1974)
Bette Garber (1942-2008), American photojournalist
Bette Midler (b. 1945), American singer, actress, and comedian with four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award

The Bette Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ostendo non ostento
Motto Translation: I show, not boast.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html