Surname Bontein - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Bontein: What does the surname Bontein mean?
The last name Bontein is of German origin, meaning “from the bottom.” The name likely refers to the holder or ancestor of the name coming from the low mountains, valleys, or perhaps a hamlet near the bottom of a hill. It could also refer to the holder being from a valley or hamlet near a river or stream.
The surname Bontein likely arose in the early medieval period, as people began to move into larger villages, towns, and cities from more rural areas. This last name could have been used for a person who was from a particularly rural or isolated area, or to differentiate someone from those who had more recently moved.
The surname could also refer to a low-standing landscape or locality, such as a riverbank, marsh, or low-lying village by the sea. The “n” at the end of the name, as is common in Germanic surnames, indicates the presence of a descendant group, meaning someone from the same family was the original bearer.
Overall, the name Bontein suggests that the origin of the family is in some kind of low-lying area with geographic features that would have been familiar to the original bearer.
Order DNA origin analysisBontein: Where does the name Bontein come from?
The last name Bontein is most commonly found today in the Transvaal region of South Africa. This region was formerly included in the British Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and is situated in the northeastern part of the country. Bontein is a variant spelling of the Dutch name, Bonte(en), which is derived from an Old German personal name, Bunt(e). It was likely adopted by Dutch settlers in South Africa. Bontein was initially derived as a toponymic surname, referring to those who lived on or near a hill or mountain.
In South Africa, the Bonteins can be found mainly in the Mpumalanga and Gauteng Provinces. It is also spelled Bonten, Bontin or Buntin. In terms of language, the most common language of those bearing this surname is Afrikaans.
Beyond South Africa, there are relatively few people with the Bontein surname and there is no clear indication that it has spread far and wide. The most notable example of it can be found in the Netherlands, especially in the eastern part of Flevoland. Other than this region, not much else is known of the name's occurrence in other parts of the world.
Overall, the last name Bontein is concentrated in South Africa's Transvaal region and has not spread far beyond its original geographical roots.
Variations of the surname Bontein
The surname Bontein is of German origin and is a variant spelling of Bönte, which can also be spelled as Bönten, Bonten, Bontin, Bonte, Bonting, Bönting, Böntin. It is also found as Böntein, Böntin, Bentin, Benten, Bontingin and Böntingin.
The earliest record of this surname was in put Emden, Germany in the 1400s, where the name is recorded on several signs as Bönten and Bönte. From this origin, the name spread all across Europe and took on the many different spellings above. It can be found in Germany, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Austria and Switzerland.
The most common variant in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is Bönting, while the most common in Bulgaria and the Netherlands is Bonten.
This surname is a patronymic name derived from the given name Bentley or Benedict, meaning “brave bear” in German. This was originally a nickname for people who were strong or brave and is unrelated to the modern meaning of “brave” as a form of courage.
Many variations of the surname Bontein can be found in the United States, as immigrants from Europe settled in the country throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries. Bontin, Bentin, Bontin, Bonten, Benten, and Bonting are found in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Illinois.
The name Bontein is still quite rare, but the many variations of the name have spread far and wide due to immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. While the many different spellings can be confusing, they are all believed to originate from the same German source.
Famous people with the name Bontein
- Adam Bontein: Dutch professional football player.
- Jeanette Bontein: German-Irish actress.
- Vera Bontein: South African road racing cyclist.
- Raoul Bontein: French film director.
- Roger Bontein: French actor.
- Estelle Bontein: British author.
- Laurent Bontein: Belgian actor, musician, and model.
- Marie Bontein: first aviatrix from France.
- Émile Bontein: French journalist and editor.
- Solange Bontein: French actress.
- Léon Bontein: French actor.
- Jonathan Bontein: French fashion designer.
- Yves Bontein: French author and architect.
- Désiré Bontein: French painter, engraver and illustrator.
- Jasper Bontein: French author and illustrator.