| ![Show Contents]() Beth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BethWhat does the name Beth mean? The Beth family history stretches back to the clans of the Dalriadan kingdom on the sea-swept Hebrides islands and mountainous western coast of Scotland. The name Beth is derived from the names of Macbeth and Bethune, or Beaton. The Macbeth and Bethune families, who were hereditary physicians to the Chiefs of Macdonald, practiced medicine on the Isles during the Middle Ages and their names merged in English into the one surname of Beaton. The Macbeths were concentrated in Islay and Mull, whereas the Beatons were concentrated in Skye. However, the Beaton family was not restricted to the Isles and it later branched to other counties such as Fraser. Nonetheless, by the 17th century, the Beaton family "ceased to practice the healing art" and the last of the hereditary physicians was Niel Beaton who practiced medicine in about 1763. 1 One source notes the Norman source of the family. "They claim descent from the house of Bethune, Barons of Bethune in Artois, Advocates or Protectors of Arras. This family was descended from the Carlovingian Counts of Artois, and ranked amongst the most potent and illustrious houses in Europe. The great Duke of Sully was one of its descendants. The Advocates of Arras possessed a barony in England from the Conquest, and left numerous descendants here. From the line of St. Omer, a branch of the same house, descended the Bagots, and Staffords, Duke of Buckingham in England, and many branches bearing the names of St. Omer and Arras." 2 Early Origins of the Beth familyThe surname Beth was first found in the Isle of Islay, where the first of the Islay family on record is Fercos Macbetha, who witnessed and probably wrote the Gaelic charter of 1408. Gilchristus M'Veig, surrigicus or surgeon in Islay is in record. Fergus M'Baithe in 1609 received from James VI certain lands in Islay in his official capacity as "principalis medici intra bordas Insularum," chief physician within the bounds of the Isles. His son, John Macbeath, succeeds in 1628 to the lands, but gave them over to the Thane of Cawdor in following year. The words "Leabar Giolla Colaim Meigbethadh" (book of Malcolm Macbeth) axe written on one of the Gaelic manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland, glossed in the same hand "Liber Malcolml Betune" The Mull Beatons or Betons were hereditary physicians to the Macleans of Dowart. In 1572 Hector MacLaine of Dowart granted a charter to Andrew MacDonil Vikinollif (i.e. son of the doctor) and his heirs of the peuyland of Piencross and Brolas for his skill in the medical art. Martin says that Dr. Beaton was sitting on the upper deck of the "Florida" of the Spanish Armada when it blew up in Tobermory Bay in 1588 and he was thrown a good way off, but lived several years after. 1 In England, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Johannes Beton; Beton de Wath; and Beton, servant of Robert, filius Ade. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing, that of John Betun, Oxfordshire. 3 John Betoun was listed in Colchester in 1311 and Richard Beton was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1327. Interestingly, the name is "still used as a Christian name in Cornwall in 1630." 4 Early History of the Beth familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beth research. Another 347 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1473, 1494, 1519, 1539, 1543, 1546, 1558, 1569, 1589, 1598, 1600, 1622, 1763 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Beth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Beth Spelling VariationsSpelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents Beth has been spelled Beaton, Beeton, MacBeth, MacBeaton, McBee, MacBee and others. Early Notables of the Beth familyNotable amongst the Clan from early times was Janet Beaton, Lady of Branxholme and Buccleugh (1519-1569) an aristocratic Scottish woman, mistress of James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, had five husbands and was accused of being a witch, immortalized as Sir Walter Scott's Wizard Lady of Branxholm in his "Lay...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Beth family to IrelandSome of the Beth family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Beth migration to the United States | + |
Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Beth were among those contributors:
Beth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Richard Beth, who landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1648 5
- Mary Beth, who landed in Maryland in 1658 5
- Henry Beth, who landed in Virginia in 1661 5
- Robert Beth, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 5
- William Beth, who arrived in Maryland in 1677 5
Beth Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Willem Beth, who arrived in New York in 1739 5
- Johan Martin Beth, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 5
- Johan Fredk Beth, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1772 5
- Elizabeth Beth, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1793 5
Beth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- August Beth, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1877
| Beth migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Beth Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Thomas Beth, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Beth Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Henry Hull Beth, who arrived in Canada in 1834
| Contemporary Notables of the name Beth (post 1700) | + |
- Amy Beth Schumer (b. 1981), American Writers Guild of America Award and Golden Globe Award nominated stand-up comedian, writer, actress, and producer from New York City
- Alicia Beth Kaye (b. 1983), Canadian-American professional triathlete
- Joan Beth Gottschall (b. 1947), American jurist, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2012-)
- Sarah Beth Tomberlin (b. 1995), known mononymously as Tomberlin, an American contemporary folk musician and singer-songwriter based in Louisville, Kentucky
- Margaret Beth Gott AM (1922-2022), née Noye, an Australian plant physiologist, ethnobotanist and academic who specialised in the use of indigenous plants in south-east Australia
- Mary Beth Fafard, American teacher in the United States
- Jena Beth Arms, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Tennessee, 1972 6
- Mary Beth Rosson, American Professor at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology
- Mary Beth Peil (b. 1940), American actress and singer
- Lori Beth Garver (b. 1961), American Deputy NASA Administrator
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Debonnaire
Motto Translation: Graceful
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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