Contents [hide]

Betts History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Betts History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Betts is from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of the Britain and comes from one of a number of personal names. The surname Betts 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 Betts may also be a "local" type surname which means a dweller by the hollows.

Early Origins of the Betts family

The surname Betts 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 Betts family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Betts 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 Betts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Betts Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Betts has been spelled many different ways, including Betts, Bets, Bettes, Bett, Bette and others.

Early Notables of the Betts family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Betts (d. 1695), was an English physician and son of "Edward Betts by his wife Dorothy, daughter of John Venables of Rapley in Hampshire. He was born at Winchester, and educated there in grammar...

Betts World Ranking

In the United States, the name Betts is the 1,412^nd most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 3 However, in Australia, the name Betts is ranked the 766^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,075 people with that name. 4 And in the United Kingdom, the name Betts is the 674^th popular surname with an estimated 9,818 people with that name. 5

Betts migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bettss to arrive in North America:

Betts Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Leonard Betts, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 aboard the ship "Friendship" 6
John Betts, who arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1640 7
Richard Betts, who arrived in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1648 7
Thomas Betts, who landed in Connecticut in 1650 7
Will Betts, who landed in Virginia in 1651 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Betts Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Fredk Betts, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 7

Betts Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Betts, aged 33, who landed in Kentucky in 1812 7
Joseph Betts, aged 5, who landed in New York in 1862 7
Joseph B Betts, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1862 7
Joseph E Betts, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1871 7

Betts Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Alfred Betts, (b. 1870), aged 35, Cornish settler, from Rock, Cornwall, UK, travelling aboard the ship "Saint Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to San Francisco, California, USA 8

Betts migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Betts Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Benjamin Betts U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 9

Betts Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Ardon Betts, who arrived in Canada in 1830
Plait Betts, who landed in Canada in 1834
Robert Betts, who landed in Canada in 1834

Betts migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Betts Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ann Betts, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "America" on December 30, 1830, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 10
Mr. George Betts, (Bates), (b. 1810), aged 20, English ploughman who was convicted in Worcestershire, England for life for breaking and entering, transported aboard the "Florentia" on 11th August 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1891 11
Mr. Charles Betts, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 3rd November 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Mr. Joseph Betts, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. William Betts, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Betts migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Betts Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

A Betts, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Indemnity 15
Henry Betts, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Henry Betts, aged 20, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Oriental" in 1840
Mr. Henry Betts, (b. 1819), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 16
A. Betts, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Indemnity" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 19th July 1842 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Betts (post 1700) +

Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts (1943-2024), American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer, founding member of The Allman Brothers Band
John Betts Jr. (1692-1767), American politician, Member of the House of Representatives of the Colony of Connecticut from Norwalk
John Betts (1650-1730), American politician, Member of the House of Representatives of the Colony of Connecticut from Norwalk
Jackson Edward Betts (1904-1993), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio (1951-1973), Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives (1945-1947)
Harry Betts (1922-2012), American jazz trombonist who grew up in Fresno, California
Christopher Raymond Betts (b. 1997), American professional baseball catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
Charles Betts (b. 1986), American professional wrestler better by his ring name Chad Gable
Arnie F. Betts (1909-1993), American newspaper and editor from Waterloo, Wisconsin
Markus Lynn “Mookie” Betts (b. 1992), American Major League Baseball right fielder for the Boston Red Sox
Thaddeus Betts (1789-1840), American politician, United States Senator and Lieutenant Governor
... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Betts family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Robert Betts (b. 1896), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Newcastle, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 17

HMS Royal Oak

William Thomas Betts (1900-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Fleet Reserve aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 18
Henry Jack Betts (d. 1939), British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 18

The Betts 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.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1830 with 135 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1830
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html