Surname Bertsch - Meaning and Origin

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P. Bertsch

Bertsch: What does the surname Bertsch mean?

The last name Bertsch is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word 'berc', meaning "hill". It is the name of a vogte, or feudal officer, that was found in various areas of Germany in the Middle Ages. The name likely originated in the region of Franconia, as it is most common there.

The Bertsch family can trace their roots back to the old German-speaking Irsh and Schwabian dialects. The family name is quite ancient, showing up in records in the 1600s.

The color of the Bertsch family coat of arms consists of a silver shield with a blue symbol, forming an inverted arch atop a hill or cliff. This symbolizes the meaning of the family name - those who are of ‘high hill’, or a person of high status.

The Bertsch family crest is also associated with several administrative posts within various German city-states during the Middle Ages, such as Hesse, Baden, and Württemberg. This is a reminder of the noble and influential family that has played a role in German history for centuries.

The surname Bertsch is well known within many parts of Germany and carries with it a very long and distinguished history. The name is a reminder of the hardworking and industrious family that today continue to honor this ancestral name.

Bertsch: Where does the name Bertsch come from?

The last name Bertsch is most commonly found in areas of North America and Europe. In the United States, Bertsch is found in the states of Texas, California, and Pennsylvania in the highest population amounts. In Europe, the highest concentrations of the Bertsch name are found in Germany and Austria.

In Germany, it is estimated that around 8,000 individuals carry the name Bertsch. This is often seen as a sign that the name originated there and spread to other parts of the world through immigration.

In Austria, the Bertsch name is the 44th most common surname, making it generally quite prevalent in this part of Europe. The town of Ramsau-Dachstein, located in the Ramsau municipality of Styria, is home to the most Bertsch family members in Austria.

In Canada, the name is most often found in Ontario, while in Switzerland it is most often seen in the canton of Valais. Even in France, the name is seen with some of the highest concentrations found in the regions of Alsace and Lorraine.

It is interesting to note that the name Bertsch is usually carried by Catholics. This may be linked to the origin of the name as an occupational surname, as it is thought to be derived from the Old German word “beraht”, meaning “shining” or “illustrated”. This might suggest that the ancestors of the Bertsch family were stained-glass painters.

Variations of the surname Bertsch

The surname Bertsch is a German language family name, derived from the personal name Bertold derived from what is now Old High German elements meaning "bright", "famous" and "counsel". The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin of Bertsch include:

Berhold, Bertsche, Bartholmäß, Bertel, Bärtel, Bertele, Bertell, Bartolmei, Bartolini, Berchtold, Bertold, Berldt, Bertholds, Bertholt, Bertoldt, Bertolf, Bertele, Berteld, Bartold, Barttel, Bertelmann, Berhold, Berth, Berthe, Bertho, Berthod, Bertholt, Berton, Bertram, Bertramo, and Bertschy.

The variants of Bertsch are derived from spelling variations of the original family name during the era of the medieval scribes. The lack of standard spelling meant that a single name could evolve into several different variations. It was not uncommon for families to adopt different variations of the same surname, particularly in southwestern Germany. A documented example is that of melkene Bertoldus anon 1250, who used the spelling Bertholt and Bartelmeuss in 1380. The earliest recorded use of the Bertsch spelling was Andreas Berltsch from Upper Austria in 1488.

As with any surname of German origin, this surname is likely to have variants in other languages. For example, the French equivalent of Bertsch is Berton, the Spanish Bertomeu and the Italian Bertoli.

In the United States, the surname Bertsch can also be found with the alternate spelling of Bortz, which is a frequent spelling variation among descendants of German immigrants. Other spelling variants of Bertsch are Birtz, Birz, Birts, Beretz, Birtzem, Birtzheim, Birtzos, and Bartscher.

Famous people with the name Bertsch

• Doug Bertsch: former professional baseball player and college baseball coach
• Rudy Bertsch: former college basketball player
• Eric Bertsch: professional ice hockey player
• August Bertsch: former professional American football player
• Fred Bertsch: former professional American football player
• Gordon Bertsch: former professional American football player
• E.J. Bertsch: former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Joe Bertsch: former professional American football player
• Dennis Bertsch: American Olympic skeet shooter
• Giles Bertsch: Argentinian tennis player
• Richard Bertsch: former beisbol professional and minor league coach
• Thomas Bertsch: Olympic cross-country skier
• Terri Bertsch: American swimmer
• Kevin Bertsch: American lacrosse player
• Miguel Bertsch: Paraguayan musician
• Archie A. Bertsch: Rear Admiral in the United States Navy
• Paul Albert Bertsch: former pre-dreadnought battleship of the Austrian Navy
• Andrew Bertsch: American television producer and writer
• J.J. Bertsch: American film and television director
• Wilfred Bertsch: Canadian Folk Singer
• Febronia Bertsch-Kaufmann: Austrian music teacher and composer

Other surnames

BertscheBertschiBertschinger