Berntsen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Berntsen

What does the name Berntsen mean?

The surname Berntsen is a patronymic name, derived from the Germanic personal name Bertold. The name Bertold is derived from the Old German words beraht, which means glowing, and told, which means ruler. The personal name therefore means "glowing ruler" and thus surname Berntsen means "son of the glowing ruler." Patronymic surnames arose from the vernacular and religious given name traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Vernacular names that were derived from ancient Germanic personal names have cognates in most European languages. For example, the court of Charlemagne (742-814) was Christian and Latin-speaking, but the Frankish dialect of Old German was commonly used for personal names. Vernacular names were also widespread in Germany. As a result, many typical English and French names are of Germanic origin and have cognates in other European languages.

Early Origins of the Berntsen family

The surname Berntsen was first found in Baden, where the name Bentzel contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation, and later played a large role in the tribal and national conflicts of the area. Over time, the family branched into many houses, where they continued to play a significant role in the local social and political affairs.

Early History of the Berntsen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berntsen research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1717, 1732 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Berntsen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berntsen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bentzel, Bentsel, Bentzell, Bensell, Benzell, Benzel, Bennzel, Benntzel, Bantzel, Bantsel, Bantzell, Bansell, Banzell, Banzel, Bannzel, Banntzel, Baentzel, Baentsel, Baentzell, Baensell, Baensell, Baenzell, Baenzel, Baennzel, Baenntzel, Bentzal, Bantzal, Baentzal, Bentzer, Bentser, Bentzen, Bentsen, Bantzele, Bantsele, Bentzele and many more.

Early Notables of the Berntsen family

More information is included under the topic Early Berntsen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Berntsen family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Johan Georg Bentzel arrived in Pennsylvania in 1729; Georg Bentzel settled in Germantown, Pa. in 1734; Henry, John and Philip Bentzell all of whom were recorded as having arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765.

Contemporary Notables of the name Berntsen (post 1700) +

Gary Berntsen (b. 1957), American former Central Intelligence Agency career officer
Bernt Berntsen (1863-1933), Norwegian-American missionary known as Brother B Berntsen
Gunnar Berntsen (b. 1977), retired German football player
Jan Erik Berntsen (1944-2025), Norwegian actor and singer, made his acting debut at Trøndelag Teater in 1964 and participated in over 130 productions at the theatre before retiring in 2014
Mona-Jeanette Berntsen (b. 1990), Norwegian-Moroccan dancer
Ole Valdemar Henrik Berntsen (1915-1996), Danish sailor who competed in the 1948, 1952, 1956 and 1964 Olympics
Oluf Berntsen (1891-1987), Danish fencer, he competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Parelius Hjalmar Bang Berntsen (1910-1995), Norwegian politician
Robin Berntsen (b. 1970), Norwegian footballer
... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)