Betis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Betis has a rich and ancient history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that was originally derived from one of a number of personal names. The surname Betis is usually explained as a metronymic derivative of the female personal name Beatrice, or less often, Elizabeth. [1]

However, the name is undoubtedly occasionally derived from the male personal name Bartholomew, which also took the variant forms Bertram or Bertelmew. The surname Betis may also be a "local" type surname which means a dweller by the hollows.

Early Origins of the Betis family

The surname Betis was first found in Norfolk, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

"One of the principal stocks of the old and characteristic Norfolk name of Betts included the family that possessed, in the 15th and 16th centuries, the manors of Hastings Hall and Whitefoot in Irmingland. This name is also well represented in Lincolnshire, where it usually takes the form of Bett; it is also present, though less numerous, in the other east coast counties of Suffolk and Kent." [2]

Early History of the Betis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Betis research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1379, 1500, 1581, 1590, 1743, 1770, 1480, 1905, 1912, 1570, 1576, 1695, 1642, 1643, 1646 and 1647 are included under the topic Early Betis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Betis Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Betis include Betts, Bets, Bettes, Bett, Bette and others.

Early Notables of the Betis family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include John Bettes (d. 1570?), an English miniature painter, commonly stated to have been a pupil of Nicholas Hilliard. "Bettes painted a miniature in oils of Queen Elizabeth, which is said to have been highly successful. He is mentioned by Foxe in his 'Ecclesiastical History' as having engraved a pedigree and some vignettes for Hall's 'Chronicle.' He is also said to have painted the portrait of Sir John Godsalve. Foxe...
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Betis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Betis migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Betis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Conrad Betis, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1763 [3]

The Betis 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: Ostendo non ostento
Motto Translation: I show, not boast.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)