Show ContentsBartels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bavaria, Germany is the original homeland of the Bartels family. Bartels is a patronymic name, a type of surname that derived from the given name of the father of the original bearer. Bartels was derived from the Old German word Bartolomaeus (Bartholomew), which means farmer. Additionally, the name is associated with the famous Saint Bartholomaeus (St. Bartholomew), who was one of the Apostles. Bartels is also a nickname type of surname which was originally derived from the Old German word "barta," which means battle-axe, and was a warrior nickname. During the Middle Ages, when feudalism, chivalry, and knighthood characterized Europe, heroic battles over power and prestige were fought between the noble families. In an age of rapidly changing political and religious alliances, the Bartels family declared their loyalty to many different nobles and princes who sought their support in the conflicts of the day. Consequently, the Bartels family made a vital contribution to the ancient German traditions of military initiation, legality, and chivalry.

Early Origins of the Bartels family

The surname Bartels was first found in Bavaria, where the name Bartels was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Bartels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bartels research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1685, 1707 and 1836 are included under the topic Early Bartels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bartels Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Bartels include Bartels, Bartells, Bartell, Bartelle, Bartelles, Barthels, Barthel and many more.

Early Notables of the Bartels family

Prominent among members of the name Bartels in this period include

  • the von Bartels family of Bavaria

Bartels Ranking

In the United States, the name Bartels is the 4,343rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Netherlands, the name Bartels is ranked the 365th most popular surname with an estimated 4,315 people with that name. 2


United States Bartels migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Bartels Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Herman Bartels, who landed in Long Island in 1655 3
  • Cornelis Bartels, who settled in New Netherlands (New York) in 1660
  • Jonas Bartels who, accompanied by his wife and two children, who arrived in New York in 1660
  • Cornelis Bartels, who settled in New Netherlands in 1660
  • Cornelis Bartels, who arrived in New Netherland(s) in 1660 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bartels Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Heinrich Christophel Bartels, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
  • Heinrich Bartels, age 38, who settled in America in 1776
  • Christian Bartels, who landed in America in 1778 3
  • Georg Bartels, who landed in America in 1778 3
  • Heinr Bartels, who arrived in America in 1780 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bartels Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Maria Bartels, aged 29, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1805 3
  • Bern Anton Bartels, who arrived in America in 1819 3
  • Ludw Bartels, who arrived in America in 1831 3
  • Katherine Bartels, who arrived in Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Hercules" 3
  • Mr. Fried. Bartels, aged 21, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Georg Dillus"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bartels Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Hermann Bartels, who landed in Alabama in 1923 3

Canada Bartels migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bartels Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Carl Bartels, who landed in Quebec in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Bartels (post 1700) +

  • Edward Bartels (b. 1925), American basketball player
  • Millard Bartels (1905-1997), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Connecticut, 1964 4
  • John Ries Bartels (1897-1997), American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1944; Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1950-52; Defeated, 1952 4
  • George H. Bartels, American politician, Delegate to Iowa convention to ratify 21st amendment from Ringgold County, 1933 4
  • Fred E. Bartels (b. 1902), American Democratic Party politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 24th District, 1957-62 4
  • Clifford M. Bartels, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from 23rd Senatorial District, 1961; Candidate for Michigan State Senate 23rd District, 1962 4
  • Carol Bartels, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Minnesota, 2000 4
  • Arthur William Bartels (1878-1939), American Republican politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 59th District, 1915-18; Member of South Dakota State Senate 27th District, 1919-22 4
  • Adolf Bartels (1862-1945), German journalist and poet
  • Julius Bartels (1899-1964), German geophysicist and statistician, eponym of the lunar Bartels crater
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Wilhelm Bartels (1914-1941), German Angestellter, Schumach. who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
  • Günter Bartels (1919-1941), German Funkmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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