Surname Bertler - Meaning and Origin
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Bertler: What does the surname Bertler mean?
The surname Bertler originates in German-speaking areas and is derived from the personal name Berthold, which is composed of two distinct elements; berht meaning "bright, famous" and wald meaning "power, rule". Altogether, the name translates to "famous ruler". It is also a locational name, deriving from a residence located in a sparsely-populated forest, and a topographic name, taken from an area of land jutting out into a body of water.
The earliest known bearer of the surname was a certain Sifrid Beroerteler, recorded in 1259 in documents related to property acquisitions in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The name has been most prominent in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg for centuries, but has spread to other parts of Europe as well.
The typical spelling of the surname in German-speaking areas is Bertler or Berteler, but has been americanized in some countries to the spelling of Bartler. Other variations of the spelling have been found through records, including Bortl, Börtl, Berthl, and Börtle.
The surname is now most commonly encountered in Germany, but can also be found in Austria, Switzerland, and areas of the Czech Republic and Poland, especially cities that were formerly part of the German Empire. There are also a significant number of individuals with the surname Bertler living in the United States and Canada, largely due to the waves of German emigration to North America that began in the late 1700s.
Order DNA origin analysisBertler: Where does the name Bertler come from?
The last name Bertler is predominantly found in areas of Germany and Austria located in Central Europe. The Bertler family probably originated in Germany dating back to the early Middle Ages. The earliest documentation of the name can be found in existing church records from the region. In the late nineteenth century, many Bertlers emigrated to the United States and Canada, settling mostly in larger cities on the east coast such as New York City, Baltimore, and Toronto. The majority of Bertlers still live in Germany however, with the highest concentrations being found in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate. Today, Bertlers also make their home in Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Australia, and elsewhere throughout the world.
Variations of the surname Bertler
The surname Bertler is of German origin with a few spelling variants and other surnames derived from it.
The variants of Bertler include Berler, Bärtle, Bärtli, Bähler, Behler, Birli, and Bärtl. Other than these, Bertler is also the root for a few surnames such as Bütler, Börtl, Böhrl, Barthl, Böhler, and Beutler.
Bertler is essentially derived from the Old German language and is composed of two parts – berht (meaning bright or illustrious) and ler/lerz (meaning army). As a consequence, it is also known as “Army of the illustrious men.”
In the old German language, the letter w was often used as a replacement for the letter v. As a result, some of the spellings of Bertler, such as the Böhl or Böhrl, should also be seen as a variant of Bavarian origin and spelled Bawl or Bawhrl, respectively.
The history of the Bertler name is especially illuminating in Alsace, located between France and Germany. The middle German pronounciation of Bertler was transformed to Bütler there. Though confusing to outsiders, this evolution was due to a characteristically German process known as Umlauting.
The Bertler surname is most prevalent in eastern and northern Germany, particularly Lower Saxony, but is also found in modern-day Austria, Alsace, and Switzerland.
Famous people with the name Bertler
- Albert Bertler, Czech composer and arranger.
- Kurt Bertler, German ice hockey player.
- Frederic Harold Bertler, Swiss author.
- Hans-Joachim Bertler, German physicist.
- Paul Bertler, American musician.
- Shirley Bertler, Canadian swimmer.
- Michael Bertler, American basketball player.
- Erna Bertler, Austrian painter, etcher and illustrator.
- Rob Bertler, Canadian playwright and author.
- Sebastian Bertler, German chess player.