Show ContentsBatey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many generations and branches of the Batey family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a fisherman or boatman. The name was derived from the Old English word bat, which meant boat.

Early Origins of the Batey family

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

Early History of the Batey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Batey research. Another 193 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1277, 1301, 1379, 1570, 1603, 1700, 1704, 1763, 1772 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Batey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Batey Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Batey were recorded, including Batie, Battie, Batee, Battee, Baittie, Baitie, Baty, Batty, Battey and many more.

Early Notables of the Batey family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Batey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Batey Ranking

In the United States, the name Batey is the 7,293rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1


Australia Batey migration to Australia +

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

Batey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Batey, (Baty), (b. 1816), aged 30, English coal miner who was convicted in Durham, England for 15 years for robbery, transported aboard the "China" on 16th January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 2

New Zealand Batey 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:

Batey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Jacob Batey, aged 30, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifford" in 1842

Contemporary Notables of the name Batey (post 1700) +

  • Carol S. Batey (b. 1955), American model, writer and lifestyle coach from Nashville, Tennessee
  • Norman Robert "Bob" Batey (1912-1998), English footballer who played in the Football League from 1932 to 1948
  • Mavis Batey (1921-2013), née Lever, an English garden historian and code-breaker at Bletchley Park during World War II
  • Kelvin Batey (b. 1981), British Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer from Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
  • Peter Batey CMG OBE (b. 1958), British businessman working in China, Chairman and co-founder of Vermilion Partners Ltd
  • Joseph Batey (1867-1949), British Labour Party politician, Member of Parliament for Spennymoor (1922–1942)
  • Keith Batey (1919-2010), British codebreaker who with his wife Mavis Batey, worked on the German Enigma machine at Bletchley Park during World War II
  • Lisa Emily Batey (b. 1978), British lifecaster in Japan
  • Derek Batey (b. 1928), former British television presenter and television executive


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china


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