Surname Besten - Meaning and Origin
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Besten: What does the surname Besten mean?
The surname Besten is of German origin and is derived from the word "beste," meaning "best" or "highest quality." It is typically found in western Germany, most commonly in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The literal meaning of the surname is that the person with this name had the highest quality of something: in the past, this may have been referring to their livestock, agricultural land, or even their craftsmanship as a tradesman. Records of this surname date back to the 1500s in the areas mentioned above, when people were noted for their excellence in the fields of farming and trade.
The surname has also been found in some other countries, such as Denmark, as a result of the emigration of Germans throughout the world. It is likely that the people who adopted the name "Besten" were aiming to preserve the excellence of their ancestral line.
In modern times, the surname Besten has become rarer, but is still common enough to surface in some areas. It is likely to be used by people who have a strong sense of their heritage and want to pay homage to the people who brought them into the world with this surname.
Order DNA origin analysisBesten: Where does the name Besten come from?
The surname Besten is quite a unique name, and it is not a particularly common surname today. It is, however, mainly found in western and central Europe.
The name originates from Westphalia, which is an area in the northwest of Germany. It is thought that the name was derived from a local place called 'Boecster', which literally translates to 'best'.
In Germany, the name is most common in the states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine Westphalia, Hesse, and Bavaria. The name is also fairly common in the Netherlands, and it can also be found in states across Belgium and Switzerland.
Besten is also a variant of the surname Beston, which is more widespread in the United Kingdom. Its variant spelling, Beeston, is less common but is also found mainly in the UK.
The name may have been lightly spread around the world by descendants of the families who first bore it. As a result, it's also possible to find this name in parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Besten
The surname Besten is a Germanic name, which originated as a patronymic name deriving from the personal name Bastian. This surname exists in various forms, as many European surnames do.
The most common English variants of Besten are Bastin, Basting, Bosting, and Bosten.
The German spelling of Besten is ‘Besteden’, which is also sometimes anglicized as Bedding.
Other regional variants and spellings of Besten include Beston, Bostin, Boasting, Bessingen and Besson.
Sometimes the surname is recorded with a double ‘s’ at the end, like Beston and Besten, and in some parts of Europe it is sometimes recorded with a single ‘t’.
There are also several other surnames related to Besten that have evolved over the years; these include: Beste, Bestei, Besser, Bestmann, Bestenhaber, Bestamm, Teston, Prestin and Pesten.
Besten is the anglicized version of the localised German name and is widely recognised throughout the Anglosphere and English-speaking countries. The different forms and spellings of Besten demonstrate its evolution over centuries, and its impact on many cultures.
Famous people with the name Besten
- Quincy Besten: German football player
- Dee Besten: Dutch long distance runner
- Sam Besten: American actor
- Jenny Besten: American author and magazine writer
- Tim Besten: Dutch footballer
- Liz Besten: British creative director
- Susan Besten: German theatre director
- Stephen Besten: American professor of religion
- Kyle Besten: American football player
- John Besten: Swiss film director
- Abigail Besten: British NBA sports journalist
- Amy Besten: Dutch model and humanitarian
- Polly Besten: Australian singer-songwriter
- Robert Besten: American basketball coach
- Corle Besten: Dutch designer
- Jean-Paul Besten: Belgian film director
- Charles Besten: French artist
- Melissa Besten: British comedian
- Cecilia Besten: Swedish novelist
- Syd Besten: New Zealand poet