Show ContentsBathan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bathan

What does the name Bathan mean?

The origins of the Bathan surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Bathan began when someone in that family worked as a boatman. The surname Bathan is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word bat, which means a boat. 1 In some cases, the name is also derived from the Old English word bate, which means one who contends, but this word is most often found as the root of the name Bater.

Early Origins of the Bathan family

The surname Bathan was first found in Herefordshire at Shobdon, a parish, in-the union of Leominster, hundred of Stretford. "The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £5. 7. 11.; net income, £764; patron, Lord Bateman. The church, which is the burial-place of the Bateman family, was partially rebuilt in 1757, by John, Viscount Bateman. The rent of several acres of land, and the proceeds of some minor benefactions, are distributed among the poor. " 2

Old Hutton in Westmorland was another family seat. "Bleaze Hall, for several centuries the seat of the Batemans, was a large and elegant mansion, which still retains traces of its former consequence in a fine oak-wainscoted room, dated 1624." 2

One of the first records of the family was William Bateman (1298?-1355), "Bishop of Norwich, who is also called, from his birthplace, William of Norwich. His father was one of the principal citizens of Norwich, having no less than eleven times filled the office of bailiff of the city (Norwich had no mayor till 1403), of which he sat as the representative in the parliament of 1326-1327." 3

Early History of the Bathan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bathan research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1298, 1355, 1480, 1560, 1573, 1584, 1626, 1644, 1663, 1687 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bathan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bathan Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Bathan has appeared include Bateman, Batman, Bademan, Badman, Pateman, Padman, Pademan and many more.

Early Notables of the Bathan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Bateman (c.1298-1355), Bishop of Norwich and founder of Trinity College, Cambridge, who was sent to Avignon, to present the English King's claim to the French throne to the Pope; Robert Bateman (1560-1644), an English merchant and politician, London City Chamberlain (1626-1644); and...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bathan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bathan family to Ireland

Some of the Bathan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bathan family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Bathan arrived in North America very early: Elizabeth Bateman who settled in Virginia in 1685; Robert Batement settled in Virginia in 1635; Elizabeth Pateman settled in Virginia in 1653; Isaac Pateman settled in Philadelphia in 1753.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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