Bethea was first used as a surname in the Scottish/English Borderlands in the medieval era. It came from the
personal name Edmond. Bethea is a
patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of
hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed by a son using his father's personal name as a surname. Others were taken from the names of important religious and secular figures. Members of the Bethea family settled in
Scotland, just following the
Norman Conquest of
England, in 1066.
Early Origins of the Bethea family
The surname Bethea was first found in
Edinburghshire, a former county, now part of the
Midlothian council area where they held a
family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Queen Margaret of
Scotland. They take their name from the place name Edmondstone, the tun of Eadmund, near Edinburgh. The name may have been derived from Aedmund
filius Forn, one of the witnesses to a charter by Thor filius Swani
(c. 1150)
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Early History of the Bethea family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bethea research.
Another 163 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1070, 1560, 1607, 1659, 1622, 1627, 1712, 1640, 1627, 1712 and 1654 are included under the topic Early Bethea History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bethea Spelling Variations
Boernician names that evolved in the largely preliterate Middle Ages are often marked by considerable
spelling variations. Bethea has been spelled Edmondson, Edmonson, Edminson, Edminston, Edmiston, Edmeston, Edmondon and many more.
Early Notables of the Bethea family (pre 1700)
Notable among the family at this time was Henry Edmondson (1607-1659), an English schoolmaster, entered Queen's College, Oxford in 1622 aged 15. William Edmundson (1627-1712), was an English Quaker whose father was a wealthy yeoman, was born...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bethea Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bethea family to Ireland
Some of the Bethea family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 91 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bethea family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the Boernician-Scottish
Clan families who came to North America were Loyalists who went north to Canada after the American
War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border went on to found two of the world's great nations. This century, families with Scottish roots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and clan societies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bethea or a variant listed above:
Bethea Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Flora or Mrs. J.K. Bethea, aged 35, who emigrated to the United States, in 1913
- James K. Bethea, aged 45, who landed in America, in 1914
- Robert C. Bethea, aged 28, who landed in America, in 1918
- John G. Bethea, who emigrated to America, in 1919
- John Goodman Bethea, aged 29, who arrived at New York, in 1920
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Bethea (post 1700)
- Major-General James Albertus Bethea (1887-1984), American Chief Surgeon, Far East Command (1948-1949) [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) James Bethea. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bethea/James_Albertus/USA.html - Larry Bethea (1956-1987), American NFL football defensive lineman
- James Bethea (b. 1965), American producer and occasional actor
- Erin Bethea (b. 1982), American actress
- Elvin Bethea (b. 1946), former American football defensive end, inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Ellen Bethea (b. 1967), American actress, best known for her role as Rachel Gannon on One Life to Live
- Antoine Bethea (b. 1984), American NFL football safety
- Solomon Hicks Bethea (1852-1909), United States federal judge
The Bethea 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: Virtus auget honorem
Motto Translation: Virtue increases honour.
Bethea Family Crest Products
See Also
Citations
- ^ Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- ^ Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) James Bethea. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bethea/James_Albertus/USA.html