Surname Bethune - Meaning and Origin
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Bethune: What does the surname Bethune mean?
The last name Bethune is believed to have derived from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It is a locational surname relating to a geographic area. The word 'Bethune' is derived from the Old French 'Bez-tun', which means 'at the 2 streams'.
The original Bethune family is believed to have held a family seat in Bethune, a city in northern France, which eventually gave them their surname. Its history dates back to a feudal period when land was granted to families in exchange for services. Some sources also suggest that the name is derived from the Celtic personal name ‘Bethun’ which means 'fair valley'.
The Bethune family derived great pride from their name and actively participated in social, economic, and political activities in their local area. Over the centuries, the Bethune surname has evolved and spread throughout the world.
Throughout history, the Bethune family name has played a significant part in shaping our culture. The Bethune family have long been a respected and influential family name, and have been influential contributors in many areas of society.
Today the Bethune family name is still respected and continues to be used by people of many nations. Most members of the Bethune family can trace their ancestry to different parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisBethune: Where does the name Bethune come from?
The last name Bethune is most commonly found in Scotland, primarily in the northern part of the country. It is also found in northern England, particularly around Cheshire and Lancashire. In Ireland, the surname appears to be most common in the Republic, particularly in Dublin and neighboring counties.
The surname also has some history in the United States. After Scottish and English immigrants began settling in America in the 1600s, the name began to appear in the country as well. It is most commonly found in the southeastern United States, including the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia.
In Africa, the last name Bethune is most popular in South Africa where it is believed to have been introduced by French Huguenot settlers. There, it tends to be concentrated in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State provinces. It is also found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Overall, the last name Bethune is fairly uncommon but can be found in various regions around the world. It tends to be concentrated in the United Kingdom, the United States, Scotland, Ireland, and South Africa, as well as countries in Central and East Africa.
Variations of the surname Bethune
The surname Bethune is derived from the two Old French elements “beu”, meaning ‘beautiful’, and “tisne”, meaning ‘knoll or hill’, and traditionally describes someone who is from a ‘beautiful hill’.
Variants
The most obvious variant of the Bethune surname is Beaton, which is the spelling most often seen outside of Scotland. Beaton has its own variants such as Beeton, Beetonne, Beattie, Beiten, Beeten, Beitune, Beacham, and Beetham. Further variants of the surname include Bisset, Bissett, Besse, Batson, Beton, Betonneau, Beeton, Beat, Baitham, and Baiton.
Spellings
Alternative spellings of the Bethune surname have been seen in Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada and the United States. Spellings such as Beaton, Beaten, Bedden, Bethon, Bethune, Bethune, Bethon, Bethons, Bethom, Betham, Betham, Baitham, Bethen, and Baiton have been recorded.
Surnames of the same origin
The surnames of the same origin as Bethune include Beaton, Bisset, Bissett, Besse, Batson, Beton, Betonneau, Beeton, Baitham and Baiton. These alternative surnames are all derived from the same two Old French words and share a common origin. Other surnames that may be related to Bethune, even though their origin is uncertain, include Bankin, Bernard, Birnie, Bevington, and Billy. All of these surnames may be related to Bethune, although this has yet to be proven.
Famous people with the name Bethune
- Mary McLeod Bethune, civil rights leader and educator
- Chesire Bethune, Olympic athlete
- Margaret Bethune, actress
- Bruce Bethune, actor
- Samuel Bethune, U.S. congressman
- J. K. Bethune, U.S. congressman
- William Bethune, U.S. congressman
- Bethune Shephard, TV personality
- Thomas Bethune, composer and music publisher
- Campbell Bethune, actor
- Jack Bethune, actor
- Michael Bethune, college baseball coach
- Mary Bethune, author
- John David Bethune, comic artist
- James Bethune, NFL player
- Stephen Bethune, NFL player
- James Bethune, NFL player
- Bryan Bethune, college football coach
- Alexander D. Bethune, architect
- Andrew M. Bethune, U.S. Army officer