The name Betters is
Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a coppersmith or a dealer in
baterie. The surname Betters is possibly derived from the Old French word
bateor, meaning
one who beats, a term which has been applied to a beater of cloth or fuller. The surname may also be a short form of the word
orbatour, which means
a beater of gold.
Early Origins of the Betters family
The surname Betters was first found in Berkshire, where they held a
family seat from ancient times.
Early History of the Betters family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Betters research.
Another 299 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1200, 1273, 1349, 1369, 1777, 1635 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Betters History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Betters Spelling Variations
Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few
hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently,
spelling variations in names are frequently found in early
Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Betters include Beater, Beeter, Beatere, Betere, Batere, Bettere and many more.
Early Notables of the Betters family (pre 1700)
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Betters Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Betters family to the New World and Oceana
Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in
England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Betters were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:
Betters Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Gerh Heinr Betters, who arrived in America in 1844 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - Hermanus Betters, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Betters Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Phil Betters, aged 50, who arrived in New York in 1907 aboard the ship "Kronprinz Wilhelm" from Bremen, Germany [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXKN-BMF : 6 December 2014), Phil Betters, 03 Sep 1907; citing departure port Bremen, arrival port New York, ship name Kronprinz Wilhelm, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). - Agnes Betters, aged 32, who arrived in New York in 1909 aboard the ship "United States" from Copenhagen, Denmark [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JF9M-56F : 6 December 2014), Agnes Betters, 16 Nov 1909; citing departure port Copenhagen, arrival port New York, ship name United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
Contemporary Notables of the name Betters (post 1700)
- Harold Betters (b. 1928), American jazz trombone player who released nine LPs on Gateway Records, and three LPs for Reprise
- Doug Betters (b. 1956), American football player for the Miami Dolphins from 1978 to 1987, First-team All-Pro (1983), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1983)