Show ContentsBeater History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestry of the name Beater can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a name for a coppersmith or a dealer in baterie. The surname Beater is possibly derived from the Old French word bateor, meaning one who beats, a term which has been applied to a beater of cloth or fuller. The surname may also be a short form of the word orbatour, which means a beater of gold.

Early Origins of the Beater family

The surname Beater was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Beater family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beater research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1200, 1273, 1349, 1369, 1635, 1710 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Beater History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beater Spelling Variations

Beater has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Beater have been found, including Beater, Beeter, Beatere, Betere, Batere, Bettere and many more.

Early Notables of the Beater family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Batere, a prominent 12th century landholder in Berkshire; and Thomas Patrick Betterton (ca. 1635 - 1710), English actor buried in Westminster Abbey. He "was born in Tothill Street, Westminster, and was apprenticed by his father, who was under-cook to Charles I, to a bookseller. These are...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beater Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Beater migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Beaters to arrive on North American shores:

Beater Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Ernst Beater, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1850 1
  • James Beater, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1879 1

Australia Beater migration to Australia +

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

Beater Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • W. Beater, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1849 2


  1. 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)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CAROLINE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Caroline.htm


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