Bethencourt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Etymology of Bethencourt

What does the name Bethencourt mean?

The Bethencourt surname is a habitational name, taken on from any of various places in France. These place names in turn derive from a Germanic personal name, Betto, along with the Old French word, "court," meaning "yard", or "farmyard".

Early Origins of the Bethencourt family

The surname Bethencourt was first found in Artois, a former province of northern France where this illustrious family held a family seat with lands and manor for many centuries. The family were well established in the region of Arras and several members of the family distinguished themselves through their contributions toward the community in which they lived and were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility. Robert, surname of Faissens, the Seigneur of Bethune of Artois held in the year 1000 and held the Counts of Artois.

One of the earliest records of the family was Jean de Béthencourt (1362-1425), a French explorer who in 1402 led an expedition to the Canary Islands. Born in Grainville-la-Teinturiere, province of Normandy, he was the son of Jean III Béthencourt and Marie de Bracquemont. He received the title King of the Canary Islands after his conquest. He co-founded the city of Betancuria in 1404 and many of his descendants are still found on the Canary Islands today.

Early History of the Bethencourt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bethencourt research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1626, 1667 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Bethencourt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bethencourt Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bettencourt, Betencourt, Betancourt, Bettancourt, Bethencourt and many more.

Early Notables of the Bethencourt family

Augustín de Vetancurt, also written Vetancourt, Betancourt, Betancur (1620-1700) French-born, Mexican Catholic historian and scholar of the Nahuatl language. Peter of Saint Joseph de Betancur (or Betancourt) (1626-1667), called Hermano Pedro de San José Betancurt (Brother Peter of Saint Joseph...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bethencourt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bethencourt family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: E. C. Bettencourt, who settled in Philadelphia in 1805; William C. Bettencourt, who arrived in North Carolina in 1817; and Emanuel Bettencourt, who was naturalized in North Carolina in 1852..

Contemporary Notables of the name Bethencourt (post 1700) +

Antoine de Béthencourt, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 1

Sources +

Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Antoine Béthencourt. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html